Imagine living in a hospital for more than five years, with a life confined to the same space, seeing the same faces day in and day out.

In the neurosurgery ward at AIIMS, many patients including 19-year-old Sachin Sharma, have spent years together in that same cubicle. Their parents and families have paused their lives and camp there to take care of them. The only thing stopping them from going home is that they need long-term ventilator support.

Now, a low-cost, user-friendly portable ventilator has made it possible for Sachin to finally go home after five years. It’s touted to be the world’s cheapest, while providing the same quality and functioning as that of a traditional ventilator. And to top it, you can run it via your Android phone.