9 Healthcare projects underway in IIT Kharagpur against COVID-19

IIT Kharagpur had set up research funding for R&D work related to COVID-19.

In a recent blog post, the institute revealed that IIT Council has selected 8 of their projects. In these projects, the researchers will be working on several technologies. These will include design and development of the rapid diagnostic kit, real-time PCR machine, bodysuit for COVID-19 patients, personal protective equipment for healthcare workers and portable shredder integrated with sterilizer. Also, there are certain new developments like the Hazmat Suit with forced purified and cooled air circulation for medical professionals, bootstrapping Ambu-bag as an automated ventilator, telemedicine for fighting the viral pandemic, large scale production of recombinant proteins for vaccine and testing.

Here's a list of the projects and their respective authorities:

What did Director Prof. Virendra Kumar Tewari have to say on this?

IIT Kharagpur director, Prof. Tiwari said:

It is our responsibility to improve the quality of life of the last person in the society. While we built some quick technologies to cater to the immediate needs of the essential service providers at the campus, we were simultaneously preparing project proposals and evaluating them keeping in mind the immediate need of the country, cost and product delivery period.

IIT Kharagpur has a proven track record towards the development of indigenous health and hygiene technologies which are affordable, high-quality at par with globally accepted standards, and commercially viable. Our researchers are committed to deliver the prototypes within a constrained timeline considering the healthcare needs in the current situation.

In the lieu of these projects, the Council has allotted them an amount of Rs. 50 Lakh for phase I of 8 projects i.e. towards the development of prototypes. The institute proposed to develop these prototypes within a duration of 3 – 4 weeks. These might take about 6 months to deliver the final results.

But, IIT Kharagpur expects to start Phase I immediately after the government relaxes the lockdown and the research staff can attend the laboratories. Meanwhile, software-related work would progress as usual.