From ventilators to testing kits, IITs step up to fight Covid-19 outbreak

IIT Guwahati, which is set to get a Technology Innovation Hub at the campus, has developed a mask in line with World Health Organization guidelines, and plans to 3D print about 100 of these

IITs across the country have joined the fight against Covid-19, activating their incubation centres to develop solutions that could help contain the virus. While some researchers are developing prototypes for ventilators to overcome their shortage, others have teamed up to develop testing kits.

A team of innovators from IIT Kanpur’s incubator company Nocca Robotics has developed a ventilator prototype, currently in the testing phase. “Our next step is to test the prototype and get it validated with the doctors to fine-tune the design, which will take at least two more weeks. Once the testing is over, we will begin mass-scale manufacturing,” said Abhay Karandikar, director of IIT Kanpur.

Given that almost all components are locally sourced, the price will be much less compared to imported ones that cost over ~4 lakh, he added. IIT Guwahati, which is set to get a Technology Innovation Hub at the campus, has developed a mask in line with World Health Organization guidelines, and plans to 3D print about 100 of these. A team of researchers at the campus is also trying to develop a vaccine. It is currently analysing the sequence of the virus from samples collected from Kerala and China. Besides, IIT Guwahati students have also developed sanitisers on a World Health Organization (WHO) formulation…Read More