IISc Bengaluru building ventilator prototype

IISc Bengaluru building ventilator prototype for COVID – 19 patieons: All you need to know!

A team of research scientists from the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru (IISc) is working on an indigenous ventilator prototype to address the shortage of ventilators in the nation in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak.

The IISc team is working round – the – clock to build the ventilator prototype for the critical COVID-19 cases. The work is expected to be completed within the next couple of weeks.

If the current COVID-19 scenario worsens in the nation then at least 0.006 percent will require critical care with access to vantilators, which amounts to almost 75000 people. This exceeds the current ventilator capacity of the nation.

Objective

The ventilator is being built to adddress the shortage that the country could possibly face if the COVID-19 situation goes out of control and a large number of people test positive.

Key Problem Areas

India at present has around 40,000 ventilators spread across different states. If the number of critical coronavirus cases rises uncontrollably, which is possible if community transmission begins, then the nation will need thousands of more vantilator and that too within a short period. Hence, several thousands of ventilator will need to be produced at a fast pace.
The other problem is that many ventilator componemts are not manufactured in India. They are imported from aboar and due to the disruptions caused in the global supply chains by COVID-19, the Indian manufacturers are finding it difficult to source the key ventilator components such as sensors and flow controllers.

IISc ventilator prototype

The IISc research team is building a prototype of an electro – mechanical ventilator. The team is building the ventilator right from scratch by using components that are only found or made in India, based on the guidelines notified by the UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency.

For example:

The IISc team is using reused sedimentation tanks found in RO water purifiers to stare and mix air and oxygen.
To check pressure levels, the team is using sensors similar to those that are used to detect air pressure of controlling the pressure of the gas pumped into the patient, the team is developing a flow rate sesor from scratch, which aill show exactly how much air is flowing into patient’s lungs.
They are building the technology so that people an use it free of cost.

What is a ventilator?

A ventilator is a life – saving amchine that provides mechanical ventilation to patients who are unable to breathe properly due to lung damage by moving breathble air in and out of their lungs. The machical is especially impoetant for critical COVID-19 patients who face difficulty in breathing. The ventilator generally has in – built sensors that allow doctors to the gas to be pumped into the patient, depending on the severity of their illness.

Why is a ventitalor important for critical COVID-19 cases?

The COVID-19 virus is primarily known to attack the patients, making it difficult for them to breathe. The severe corona virus cases have inflamed or damaged lungs, as a result of which, they struggle to receive proper oxygen. In such cases, the ventilator assists their lung function and help pass a controlled mixture of air and oxgen into their body, giving them time to fight the infection.

Background

The Indian government has urged the auto sector to pitch in to pitch in to address the shortage. In response, major Indian automobile companies such as Mahindra and Maruti Suzuki are readying the selves to produse ventilator to help combat the health crisis.

Milan Tomic

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