Covid-19 challenge seeks innovative solutions to mitigate pandemic impact

NIF will help in incubating and scaling up shortlisted entries — innovations such as better PPE (personal protective equipment) kits and masks, rapid diagnostics, cheaper ventilators, sanitizers or anything else that can break the transmission of the virus.

The National Innovation Foundation, an autonomous body under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), has launched a Challenge Covid-19 Competition (C3), seeking technologies and innovative solutions to various problems related to the viral disease.

A worker wearing a protective suit sprays disinfectant on a street as a preventive measure against the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus(AFP)

NIF will help in incubating and scaling up shortlisted entries — innovations such as better PPE (personal protective equipment) kits and masks, rapid diagnostics, cheaper ventilators, sanitizers or anything else that can break the transmission of the virus.

NIF is also looking for ideas keeping people gainfully engaged or that proposing a healthy diet during a lockdown. Ideas for supply chain management and door-step delivery for the elderly are also being looked at.

In the long term, the challenge will also look at supporting contact-less technologies. Surfaces such as elevator buttons that are frequently touched by many become a source of infection and hence solutions to minimise the contact have been invited.

“The initiative being launched will not only create awareness, but will intimately engage a wide cross-section of society with diverse backgrounds in providing and implementing solutions,” said Ashutosh Sharma, secretary, DST.

The Science Engineering and Research Board (SERB), another body under DST, is also supporting an Indian Institute of Technology-Kanpur team in developing a virucidal coating that can be used on masks and personal protective gear to ensure no virus can pass through.

The IIT-Kanpur team will use a combination of polymers that are known to have anti-microbial properties along with some anti-viral molecules to better protect health care workers, extend the life of the gear, and make it reusable. The team will also keep in mind the cost of the coating to ensure scalability, according to DST.

“Immobilising anti-microbial and anti-viral ingredients on the fabric can be useful in critical environments, and for extending the life, re-usability and safer handling and disposal. This additional defence will be especially valuable if it can be added at a fraction of the cost of the mask,” said Sharma.

Another DST-funded startup — Weinnovate Biosolutions — has come up with a non-alcoholic colloidal silver solution that can be used for disinfecting hands and surfaces. The liquid is non-flammable. Lab testing has already been done and the manufacturers have received a test license.

“We are aiming to manufacture primarily a minimum of 200 litres of colloidal silver solution per day with our manufacturing set up to cater to the demand of hand sanitisation and disinfection. With our solution, we are positive to reduce the number in infection spread and helping India to be infection-free,” said Milind Choudhari, one of the founders of Weinnovate Biosolutions.