MUMBAI:
Nihaal Singh Adarsh
, a 19-year-old student from Mumbai has developed an innovative belt-like wearable ventilation system Cov-Tech that keeps personal protective equipment (
PPE
) kit cool from inside.
Nihal, a second-year student of
KJ Somaiya College of Engineering
, has given a hope to medics that they can work for long hours without perspiration.
The system is already being used by two Pune hospitals - Sai Sneh hospital and Lotus Multi Specialty hospital.
"It collects the surrounding air, filters it and pushes it into the PPE suit. This system offers a steady flow of fresh air with complete air-sealed kit. It provides fresh air to the user in just 100 seconds," Nihaal told a government news agency.
Nihal's startup plans to scale up its production in June 2021.
The first batch 30-40 units of the product is already out, which will be delivered as trial units to doctors and NGOs across the country. The next batch of around 100 units is also under production.
Nihaal’s mother, Dr Poonam Kaur Adarsh, is a doctor who has been treating Covid-19 patients at her clinic in Pune.
After seeing her mother's struggle while working for hours in PPE suit, Nihaal decided to participate in a design challenge for Covid-related equipment, organised by Technological Business Incubator, Research Innovation Incubation Design Laboratory.
With the guidance from Dr Ulhas Kharul of the
National Chemical Laboratory
, Nihaal was able to develop the first model in 20 days.
Later, Nihaal received backing from Somaiya Vidyavihar University’s Research Innovation Incubation Design Laboratory (RIIDL).
After more than six months of hard work, the initial prototype emerged which could be worn around neck.
It took around 20 developmental prototypes and 11 ergonomic prototypes till the final product emerged, Nihal revealed to the news agency in an interview.
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