Effective respiratory care starts with hands-on training using realistic simulation tools. Lung simulators play a crucial role in preparing healthcare providers to manage airway and ventilation challenges for patients of all ages. Because pediatric and adult patients have very different respiratory anatomies and physiology, specialized lung simulators…
Lung simulators play a critical role in advancing respiratory care, ventilator design, and clinical training. The right tool helps clinicians, researchers, and manufacturers understand how respiratory devices will perform in real-world conditions.
But what exactly makes a lung simulator “high-quality”? And how do you choose the right one for your needs?
At Michigan Instruments, we’ve spent decades helping professionals across healthcare and industry make the right choice. Here are some of the key features to look for when selecting a lung simulator.
1. Realistic Lung Behavior
A high-quality lung simulator should behave like real human lungs. That means it should be able to simulate normal breathing as well as a wide range of respiratory conditions like obstructive lung disease, restrictive lung conditions, and more.
Our lung simulators are designed to provide realistic volumes, compliance, and resistance. The ability to simulate different lung mechanics makes it possible to test how devices perform in a variety of patient scenarios, from healthy to critically ill.
2. Adjustable Settings
No two patients are the same, and neither are their lungs. One of the most important features of any lung simulator is the ability to customize lung compliance and airway resistance across a wide range of settings. This flexibility allows users to mimic hundreds of real-life conditions, giving manufacturers and clinicians valuable insight into how equipment will function in diverse situations.
Our TTL® and PneuView® systems offer a broad range of adjustability, helping you replicate both adult and infant lung mechanics with precision.
3. Real-Time Data and Feedback
For researchers and educators, being able to see what’s happening in real-time is essential.
Our PneuView® systems come equipped with software that provides real-time data collection, display, and analysis. You can graph and record pressure, volume, flow, and other important measurements as they happen, allowing for deeper insight and post-test review.
This level of detail is especially valuable when training respiratory therapists or testing new devices, helping you make informed, data-driven decisions.
4. Simulation of Spontaneous Breathing
Many respiratory therapies rely on the interaction between a device and a patient’s breathing effort. That’s why we developed the Spontaneous Breathing Lung (SBL™) module.
This add-on allows users to simulate patient-initiated breaths with adjustable rates, volumes, and inspiratory timing. With the SBL™, you can test how a device responds to and supports the patient’s breathing pattern.
5. Versatility for Different Applications
Whether you’re training healthcare students, developing new ventilator technologies, or performing product demonstrations, the lung simulator you choose should be flexible enough to support all these use cases—and more.
Michigan Instruments offers models that accommodate infant through adult, and even dual-adult, simulations. This allows users to evaluate performance across a range of scenarios without needing multiple systems.
Making the Right Choice
Choosing a lung simulator isn’t just about the specs—it’s about finding a tool that supports your mission.
At Michigan Instruments, our lung simulators are built to provide accurate, consistent, and customizable respiratory simulation for a wide range of applications.
From hands-on education to advanced device testing, our systems are designed to help you deliver better outcomes in respiratory care and innovation.
Learn more about how Michigan Instruments’ lung simulators can enhance your training, research, or product development efforts.
The number of patients that are “readmitted” to the hospital isn’t just a financial metric, it’s a powerful indicator of how well patients are recovering after discharge. For hospitals and clinics, improving patient outcomes starts with identifying potential gaps in care and equipping staff with the tools and training needed to close them.
One area that deserves special attention? Respiratory care. When patients receive the right support at the right time, during treatment and after discharge, they’re far less likely to return. Let’s explore key strategies that help reduce readmissions, including the role of simulation-based training.
1. Start with a Strong Discharge Plan
A successful recovery begins before a patient ever leaves the facility. When discharging a patient, in addition to the checklist, have a conversation. Taking the time to explain the patient’s condition, outline medications and next steps, and assess any barriers at home (like lack of transportation or support) helps ensure a smoother transition.
Coordinating with outpatient providers or home health services adds another layer of support, reducing the chances of a return visit.
2. Enhance Respiratory Support During Care
Respiratory complications are one of the leading causes of readmissions, especially for patients with chronic illnesses. Strengthening your respiratory care protocols can make a major impact. Real-time monitoring of oxygen levels, proper use of non-invasive ventilation, and timely adjustments to ventilator settings all play a role in helping patients stabilize and stay healthy after discharge.
This is where advanced testing and training tools can make a difference. Validating ventilator performance and providing staff with ongoing respiratory education ensures consistency in care—even in high-pressure situations.
3. Train Staff Using Realistic Simulation
It’s one thing to learn protocols in a textbook, it’s another to experience them in action. That’s why Michigan Instruments offers TTL® and PneuView® Lung Simulators, designed to bring clinical learning to life.
These simulators recreate realistic lung mechanics and responses to ventilation, helping medical professionals strengthen their understanding through hands-on experiences. Whether you’re teaching students in a classroom or providing continuing education to staff, these tools create “Aha Moments!” that stick—enhancing confidence, accuracy, and decision-making at the bedside.
Want to see how they work? Explore our Lung Simulators here.
4. Create a Culture of Continuous Improvement
Once patients leave your facility, the work isn’t over. Follow-up calls, patient surveys, and readmission data can offer valuable insights into what’s working, and what isn’t. When teams regularly analyze these outcomes, they can identify trends and adjust their approach to improve future results.
Hospitals that prioritize communication, patient education, and evidence-based care protocols consistently see better outcomes and fewer readmissions.
Supporting Recovery from the First Breath
Reducing readmission rates requires more than one solution—it’s about building a smarter, more prepared system of care. With strong respiratory protocols, better discharge planning, and hands-on training tools like lung simulators, your facility can take proactive steps toward better recovery outcomes.
At Michigan Instruments, we’re proud to support the educators and care teams working to improve patient care every day.
Learn more about our lung simulation products and how they can support your training needs.
When a patient experiences cardiac arrest, timely and effective CPR is critical to maintaining blood flow to the brain and vital organs. In both pre-hospital and in-hospital settings, resuscitation protocols are often guided by a range of clinical factors. However, one common question remains: How long should CPR be performed?
Historically, resuscitation efforts were frequently halted after a certain duration if spontaneous circulation was not achieved. But in recent years, emerging studies suggest that longer resuscitation efforts may improve outcomes in select cases.
In this blog, we’ll explore the evidence behind prolonged CPR and how mechanical CPR devices can support extended, high-quality resuscitation.
Evidence Supporting Longer Resuscitation Efforts
Recent studies have indicated that longer durations of CPR can lead to increased survival rates in patients who suffer from in-hospital cardiac arrest. One study published in The Lancet found that hospitals with longer average resuscitation times tended to have higher rates of patient survival. Another Japanese study revealed that continuing CPR for 30 minutes or more resulted in better neurological outcomes in some cases.
These findings challenge the notion that prolonged CPR efforts are unlikely to result in positive outcomes. While every resuscitation case is unique, current research indicates that sustained efforts—particularly in controlled, hospital-based environments—may be beneficial under the right circumstances.
A Case of Extended Resuscitation Using the Life-Stat Device
In one instance, Michigan Instruments’ Life-Stat® Automated CPR Device was used for nearly four hours to assist in the revival of a 56-year-old male patient found unresponsive in the snow. The patient had a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of 6, non-reactive pupils, and did not respond to NARCAN® administration.
EMS personnel deployed the Life-Stat to deliver uninterrupted, guideline-compliant CPR while additional interventions, including active rewarming, were administered. After 3 hours and 45 minutes of continuous mechanical CPR, the patient regained consciousness and began following commands while on ventilatory support.
This case illustrates the value of mechanical CPR devices in maintaining high-quality compressions during prolonged resuscitation efforts, particularly when manual compressions are not sustainable over time.
Challenges of Manual CPR Over Time
Manual CPR requires significant physical effort and can lead to rescuer fatigue within minutes. Over time, the quality of chest compressions can decline, potentially impacting patient outcomes. In addition, long-duration resuscitations can disrupt other aspects of patient care, as healthcare professionals are required to focus on compressions instead of addressing the underlying cause of arrest.
In both pre-hospital and hospital environments, this creates a critical need for reliable, automated solutions that can maintain consistent compression quality while freeing clinicians to manage the broader aspects of patient resuscitation.
The Role of Mechanical CPR Devices in Extended Resuscitation
Michigan Instruments’ Life-Stat and Thumper® Automated CPR Devices are designed to deliver uninterrupted, guideline-compliant compressions and, in the case of the Life-Stat, controlled ventilation support. These devices can be deployed quickly and operate continuously during transport, diagnostics, and treatment. With no batteries to rely on, once the Michigan Instruments CPR devices are attached to an O’2 source, they will operate indefinitely, offering the extended CPR without fail or overheating.
By using Michigan Instruments mechanical CPR devices during extended resuscitation:
- Compression depth and rate remain consistent within AHA guidelines.
- Easier placement of CPR massager pad and more stable compressions.
- Providers experience reduced physical strain and can better focus on critical care tasks.
- CPR can continue uninterrupted for hours, improving the likelihood of favorable outcomes in prolonged cases.
Improving Outcomes with Automated CPR
In cases where extended resuscitation is clinically appropriate, the ability to maintain high-quality CPR over time is essential. Mechanical CPR devices can support these efforts by delivering consistent, hands-free compressions that are not subject to human fatigue or error.
At Michigan Instruments, we are committed to equipping healthcare providers with reliable tools that enhance patient care and support improved survival rates during cardiac arrest. Our automated CPR devices are trusted by professionals in both pre-hospital and in-hospital settings for their performance, durability, and ease of use.
Learn more about how the Life-Stat and Thumper can support your team’s resuscitation protocols and improve outcomes in time-critical situations.
Lung simulation is essential for healthcare professionals to practice respiratory care skills in a safe, controlled environment. However, even with the best equipment, challenges can arise that can disrupt training…
When you hear the word “test lung” and “lung simulator,” you may think they mean the same thing. Many people use them simultaneously. In fact, we have historically called our lung simulators “Training & Test Lungs “or TTLs – since they have several lung simulation, teaching and testing…
Cardiac emergencies can strike suddenly and without warning. Whether it’s a heart attack or a cardiac arrest, knowing how to respond in these crucial moments can save a life.
In this blog, we’ll walk you through a step-by-step guide on what to do during a cardiac emergency, emphasizing quick actions and the importance of reliable medical equipment to assist in these life-threatening situations.
Step 1: Assess the Situation
When faced with a potential cardiac emergency, the first step is to assess the situation. Check for signs of cardiac arrest, such as unresponsiveness and abnormal and/or no breathing.
If the person is unresponsive and not breathing, this may indicate a cardiac arrest, which requires immediate action.
Step 2: Call for Help
Dial 911 immediately. This ensures that emergency services are on their way and can provide advanced care as quickly as possible. If you are in a healthcare setting, alert other medical professionals to the situation.
Step 3: Start Chest Compressions
Chest compressions are a critical first step in saving a life during a cardiac arrest. Place the heel of your hand on the center of the chest, just below the sternum.
Use your other hand to support it and begin compressing the chest at least 2 inches deep at a rate of 100-120 compressions per minute. Be sure to allow full chest recoil after each compression.
Step 4: Administer Defibrillation (If Available)
If an automated external defibrillator (AED) is nearby, turn it on immediately and follow the instructions provided. The AED is programmed to analyze the person’s heart rhythm and, if necessary, deliver a shock to restore normal heart activity. Continue CPR until the AED is ready to administer a shock or until emergency personnel arrive.
Step 5: Continue CPR
If an AED is not available, continue CPR until help arrives. If you are trained in advanced techniques, you may also consider performing rescue breaths, especially in cases where the person is a child or an infant.
For untrained responders, hands-only CPR (chest compressions without breaths) is still highly effective in improving survival outcomes.
Step 6: Provide Post-Resuscitation Care
Once emergency responders arrive, they will take over the care and transport the individual to the hospital for further treatment. Follow any additional instructions given by medical professionals, and ensure you remain calm throughout the process.
How Michigan Instruments Helps in Cardiac Emergencies
Cardiac emergencies demand rapid and effective interventions, and the right tools can significantly impact the outcomes. Michigan Instruments has been a leader in life-saving technology since 1964, supporting healthcare professionals and first responders with reliable and easy-to-use solutions.
Our automated CPR devices are designed to deliver precise and consistent compressions, allowing medical teams to focus on what matters most — saving lives. Whether in the field or at the hospital, Michigan Instruments empowers those on the front lines to provide optimal care in critical moments.
With over 60 years of experience, we remain committed to improving patient outcomes and supporting the heroes who respond to cardiac emergencies.
Learn more about how our advanced automated CPR devices can make a difference for your team.
Lung simulators play a crucial role in respiratory therapy, critical care training, medical research and setting a standard for replicating human lung function in controlled settings. By mimicking human lung function, lung simulators offer healthcare professionals and researchers a reliable tool to improve patient care and deepen the understanding of respiratory mechanics.
In this blog, we’ll break down some of the components and functions of lung simulators, highlighting their innovative design and practical applications.
What are Lung Simulators?
There are several variations available, but overall, a lung simulator is a precision instrument designed to replicate the mechanical properties of human lungs. They allow users to simulate various breathing conditions, lung capacities, and respiratory challenges.
Lung simulators are invaluable for teaching and training, testing ventilators, and conducting clinical research. They offer a safe and controlled environment to explore complex respiratory scenarios.
Key Components of Lung Simulators
1. Test Lung Chambers
The test lung chambers form the centerpiece of a lung simulator. These chambers are designed and set up to mimic the elasticity and compliance of human lungs.
Most have the capability to replicate various lung conditions by offering settings from healthy lung function to diseases such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) or Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS).
2. Resistance Elements
Resistance elements control airflow within the simulator, replicating the resistance encountered in a patient’s airways. By adjusting the resistance, users can simulate different airway conditions. This offers versatility in testing ventilators or teaching/training in practical clinical scenarios.
3. Pressure and Volume Sensors
There are sensors embedded into some simulators that measure pressure, volume, and airflow in real time. These sensors provide critical data that help the user evaluate device performance, patient safety, and the efficacy of various treatment strategies.
4. External Connections
Lung simulators are designed with connections for ventilators, oxygen delivery systems, and other respiratory devices. These connections allow the simulator to serve as a testing platform, ensuring the performance and safety of life-supporting equipment.
How Does a Lung Simulator Work?
The lung simulator is designed to replicate the dynamics of human respiration. Below is an overview of how that’s done:
- Setup: The simulator is configured to mimic the desired respiratory condition. This may involve adjusting lung compliance, airway resistance, or the breathing pattern.
- Simulation: Airflow is introduced to the test lung chambers through external devices such as ventilators. The simulator responds by producing a realistic response and lung mechanics in the same way a patient would.
- Measurement: Data such as pressure, volume, and flow are collected, providing valuable insights into device performance and patient conditions.
- Analysis: The collected data is analyzed and the users are able to evaluate the effectiveness of respiratory therapies, devices, or clinical interventions.
Applications of Lung Simulators
Lung simulators are used across a wide range of fields, including:
- Medical Training: Providing hands-on experience for healthcare professionals to practice managing respiratory conditions and operating ventilators.
- Device Testing: Ensuring ventilators and other respiratory devices perform effectively under various conditions.
- Research: Facilitating studies into respiratory diseases and the development of new treatment methods.
- Education: Demonstrating respiratory mechanics to students and trainees in medical and healthcare programs.
Why Choose Michigan Instruments for Lung Simulators?
For decades, Michigan Instruments has led the way in lung simulator innovation, providing industry-leading tools for medical research and training. Our devices are known for their precision, reliability, and versatility. Whether you’re testing life-saving equipment or advancing medical research, our lung simulators provide the tools you need to succeed.
Explore the features and benefits of our lung simulators today. With Michigan Instruments, you’re not just getting a product – you’re gaining a partner in innovation and excellence.
For more insights and updates on medical simulation technology, follow our blog or contact us today. Let’s work together to shape the future of respiratory care.
At Michigan Instruments, we believe that Veterans are a crucial part of our nation. They’ve made incredible sacrifices to fight for our freedom, and they deserve exceptional care– not only during their service but throughout their lives. Some of the conditions they face during their time in service may lead to unique healthcare challenges, including respiratory issues that require specialized attention.
In fact, studies show that over 12% of veterans have reported some kind of obstructive respiratory disease. Offering these heroes the best possible respiratory care, including access to advanced lung simulators, is a critical mission in itself. Providing high-quality respiratory therapy for veterans is not just a necessity—it is a vital step toward enhancing their quality of life. Thanks to advancements in medical technology, VA clinics are better equipped than ever to address these needs.
The Importance of Respiratory Therapy for Veterans
Veterans often experience respiratory issues linked to their time in service, such as:
- Exposure to burn pits: Many veterans were exposed to harmful fumes during deployments, leading to chronic respiratory conditions.
- Chemical inhalation: Contact with industrial chemicals or other hazardous materials during military service can result in long-term lung damage.
- Post-deployment stress and lifestyle factors: Conditions like smoking-related lung damage or stress-induced breathing disorders may complicate respiratory health.
Diagnosing lung and breathing conditions is the first step to determining what type of respiratory therapy for veterans is needed to help improve lung function and overall health. VA clinics are tasked with addressing these issues and leveraging innovative solutions to provide targeted care for their veteran patients.
How Advanced Lung Simulators Improve Veteran Care
Lung simulators are high-tech devices that replicate human lung function, offering a range of benefits for respiratory therapy training, research, and patient care. Here’s how they enhance care in VA clinics across the country, such as the CARE Comprehensive Assessment of Respiratory and other military Exposures Center:
1. Improved Training for Respiratory Therapists
While VA clinics rely on well-trained respiratory therapists to deliver specialized care, advanced lung simulators further help to provide a low-risk training environment by offering:
- Realistic Scenarios: Simulators mimic various lung conditions, enabling therapists to practice diagnosing and treating diverse respiratory challenges.
- Hands-On Experience: Trainees can work on mastering mechanical ventilation and other life-saving techniques in a risk-free environment.
- Confidence Building: Simulators help therapists gain confidence and competence before working directly with patients, including the Nation’s finest.
2. Enhanced Research Capabilities
Research is a huge part of advancing respiratory therapy for veterans. Many studies on respiratory health have been conducted by VA research teams focused on covering a wide range of topics, including tuberculosis, lung cancer and smoking, influenza, and pneumonia. Within VA research facilities, lung simulators allow researchers to:
- Test New Ventilation Techniques by evaluating the effectiveness of emerging therapies under controlled conditions.
- Study Chronic Conditions by investigating the progression of diseases like COPD and asthma to develop better treatment plans.
- Simulate Real-World Scenarios by exploring how respiratory conditions interact with various environmental factors, such as high altitudes or exposure to toxins.
3. Better Patient Outcomes
By integrating advanced lung simulators into care protocols, VA clinics can:
- Personalize Treatment Plans using data-driven insights from simulators to tailor respiratory therapy to each veteran’s needs.
- Improve Ventilator Settings by optimizing ventilator configurations to ensure effective and comfortable breathing support.
- Advance Emergency Preparedness by equipping teams to respond to acute respiratory crises with greater precision and speed.
Michigan Instruments is Ready for Service as Your Partner in Veteran Care
Michigan Instruments has long been a leader in developing cutting-edge lung simulation technology. In fact, we’ve been at it since the 1960’s, when the US got involved in the Vietnam War! Our products are designed to empower healthcare professionals with the tools they need to provide exceptional care for patients of all types. Whether training new therapists or enhancing research, our lung simulators play a vital role in improving respiratory therapy for veterans.
Medical facilities across the country are turning to Michigan Instruments’ simulators for training and research. By investing in these advanced tools, we can ensure that veterans receive the care they deserve.
Fight Respiratory Disease with Michigan Instruments
As we continue to prioritize veteran care and advancing respiratory therapy for veterans, Michigan Instruments remains dedicated to supporting healthcare providers with the technology and expertise needed to make a difference. By using tools like advanced lung simulators, VA clinics are better equipped to meet the unique respiratory health challenges veterans face.
In the United States, a rare disease is defined by a prevalence of < 200,000 patients. There are approximately 7,000 unique rare diseases affecting an estimated 25 to 30 million people in the United States. So researching these conditions is incredibly important.
About 5-10% of rare disease diagnoses are lung-related, such as Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, Pulmonary arterial hypertension, and Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM). These conditions may be foreign to most, but to the people who suffer from them and the researchers who study them, they are all too familiar.
Restoring Hope for Rare Respiratory Disease Researchers
Rare respiratory disease can cause barriers in a patients life, and the rarity of their disease can be isolating. Unfortunately, researchers of rare respiratory disease can feel isolated as well; With only a few cases, clinical data and research opportunities are limited in both clinical research and treatment development.
Luckily, advanced lung simulators have transformed how we study rare diseases, making it possible for researchers to simulate specific respiratory conditions, test potential treatments, and gain insights into disease progression—all without needing access to numerous patient cases. With such limited cases available, lung simulators offer a lifeline to researchers.
Using Lung Simulators to Replicate Unique Respiratory Conditions
Lung simulators offer researchers a unique opportunity to study rare lung diseases by replicating the human lung’s complex respiratory mechanics. This includes specific symptoms and disease progression. With this information at their fingertips, researchers can complete a controlled and detailed study of each condition.
That being said, not all lung simulators are created equal. While many test lungs perform just a handful of simulations and are not fully to scale, limiting their usefulness, using a simulator like The Training Test Lung®, allows you to simulate realistic residual lung volumes and lung capacities. The range of settings for compliance and resistance on the TTL® and PneuView® systems allow researchers the advantage of moving and “feeling” like a real lung or lungs when ventilated.
For example, if a researcher is studying the progression of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF), a disease that causes lung tissue scarring, they can set the lung simulator to emulate a reduced lung volume and decreased elasticity, mimicking the lung’s stiffened state. This allows researchers to observe the lung’s behavior under disease-specific conditions, providing a safe, repeatable way to test potential therapies or examine how respiratory function deteriorates over time.
The Benefits of Lung Simulators on Rare Lung Disease Research
Breakthroughs in the development of technologies, including lung simulators, further the goal of personalized and precision medicine, providing major benefits in researching rare respiratory diseases. These benefits include:
Modeling Diseases Accurately
Lung simulators allow researchers to model disease symptoms and progression by controlling a number of variables, such as tidal volume, respiratory rate, and airway pressures to reflect a range of patient profiles. This ensures that treatments are truly personalized to each disease’s specifications for optimal results, which is essential when studying diseases with unpredictable progression.
Providing a Safe Testing Environment
For researchers working on treatments or interventions for rare diseases, lung simulators offer a controlled, risk-free environment to test new ideas and hypotheses before advancing to human trials, and help make the connection between theory and clinical experience in a safe setting.
Collecting and Analyzing Data
Some simulators, like the PneuView® system, allow for real-time data display and data export. Researchers can obtain data and waveform displays of pressure, volume, flow, timing and more, even when using simple ventilation devices like BVM’s, emergency ventilators, and CPAP systems. PneuView Software allows researchers to get in-depth visual feedback on devices and techniques. It also provides a mechanism to collect and review results.
Creating Breakthroughs in Research
Simulation capabilities like these have led to breakthroughs in respiratory research, helping develop safer, more effective treatments and empowering researchers to pursue insights that otherwise might have required extensive patient studies.
The Future of Lung Simulators in Rare Disease Research
As technology surrounding rare diseases continues to evolve, so does the potential for lung simulators in rare disease research. Advancements in software, real-time data analytics, and AI integration are making simulators increasingly useful and have the potential to unlock new possibilities in the research of rare respiratory diseases.
Lung simulators in particular play an essential role in developing personalized medicine, where treatment approaches can be tailored to individual patient profiles based on specific respiratory needs and limitations. This customization can be incredibly useful in the case of studying rare diseases.
Michigan Instruments’ Commitment to Furthering Rare Disease Research
Lung simulators have transformed the research landscape for rare respiratory diseases, offering researchers the ability to replicate disease conditions, conduct safe testing, and explore new treatment possibilities. As technology advances, these devices will continue to play a pivotal role in rare disease research, bringing hope and potential solutions to patients affected by these challenging conditions.
With devices like the TTL® , SBL and PneuView® , Michigan Instruments has been at the forefront of technological innovation for decades, providing researchers with the tools they need to conduct critical work in rare respiratory disease research.
Contact us today to see how Lung Simulators from Michigan Instruments can help propel your research forward.
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