E-Paper
IIT Mandi researchers ‘develop’ low-cost portable ventilators
The institute has said that the developed prototypes are easy to use and can be taken to remote locations in case of a medical emergency.
Indian Institute of Technology, Mandi (IIT Mandi) has developed two low-cost portable ventilators. In a statement issued on Thursday, the institute said the developed prototypes are easy to use and can be taken to remote locations in case of a medical emergency.
Wi-Fi Operated Smart Ventilator
Dr Arpan Gupta, Associate Professor, School of Engineering, IIT Mandi, along with research scholars, Lokendra Singh and Sourabh Dogra, has developed a smart ventilator costing only Rs 4,000.
The developed prototype is a mechanised Artificial Manual Breathing Unit (AMBU) bag with options to control breath rate and volume of air going into the patient’s lungs.
D. Arpan Gupta in a statement said, “Designed especially for COVID-19 pandemic, this low-cost ventilator can be operated manually as well as using a smartphone app connected over Wifi. It can offer some protection to our medical staff, who can operate the ventilator remotely.”
There is also an emergency switch on the ventilator and the mobile application that stops the ventilator and alarms in case of any malfunction.
The present ventilator is for non-critical patients who need some help in respiration. The prototype was developed in consultation with a medical team consisting of Dr. Chander Singh, Medical Officer, IIT Mandi, and Dr Manjul Sharma and Dr Jasdeep from Jagriti Hospital, Mandi.
Low-cost Mechanical Ventilator
Dr Rajeev Kumar, Associate Professor, School of Engineering, IIT Mandi, along with his research team have developed a mechanical ventilator by using a low-cost self-inflating bag operated by an electric motor costing under Rs. 25,000.
In this ventilator, a single rack and pinion mechanism has been used in which the self-inflatable bag is compressed from one side that would blow the oxygen into the patient’s lungs either through invasive or noninvasive mode. The developed ventilator has an interface between the ventilator to the patient and the ventilator to the operator.
“In this time of COVID-19 pandemic, this low-cost ventilator will be very useful especially for the rural patients because of its portability,” said Dr Rajeev Kumar.
