IIT Ropar develops ventilation support for COVID-19 patients

Chandigarh, July 6

The researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology, Ropar, have developed a compact and affordable ventilation support for the less critical COVID-19 patients, a statement said on Monday.

The design of a Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure (BiPAP) machine is such that it is easy to operate and can be assembled with ease in remote areas, villages or at home, it said.

BiPAP is a mode of ventilation which maintains positive pressure for air intake and a low pressure for expiration, the statement said.

The machine is made of readily available electronic and mechanical parts and a single unit can support multiple patients, provided the airflow is sufficient, it said.

It can be used for the less critical cases where patients do not require intubation by specialized staff, the statement by the institute said.

Neha Sardana, from the department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering of IIT Ropar, along with Gaurav Pal Singh, a research scholar, developed the ventilation support, it said.

The mass production of the machine would cost around Rs 6,500 per unit, the statement said.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a massive challenge to healthcare services around the globe which requires innovative and immediate solutions. This BiPAP machine in the current situation aims to deliver an economical and user-friendly respiratory support for non-critical patients and a backup resource for hospitals facing ventilation shortage,” the institute said. — PTI