Chipping in with their technical expertise to boost the efforts to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, engineering students in the State have developed mini-ventilator models that could serve as portable breathing assistants to support patients with respiratory problems.
Evolving solutions for challenges thrown by APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University to mitigate the prevailing crisis, the affiliating colleges have designed the prototypes at their fab labs in line with the respiratory process criteria recommended by experts at the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST).
Teams from 34 colleges participated in a competition organised by the University COVID-19 Cell to design low-cost and easy-to-use ventilators that could serve COVID-19 patients in during exigencies.
Vimal Jyothi Engineering College, Kannur; Saint Joseph Engineering College, Pala; TKM Engineering College, Kollam; Model Engineering College, Trikkakara; and Mangalam Engineering College, Kottayam, have conceived the best prototypes.
According to Vrinda V. Nair, Dean (Research), these colleges will be awarded ₹20,000 each from the Centre for Engineering Research and Development of the university.
Incentive
The institutions have been directed to install the respiratory support models in the COVID-19 hospitals in the respective districts after obtaining permission from the District Medical Officers.
Besides, ₹5,000 will be given as an incentive to colleges that presented the best designs.
An expert panel led by SCTIMST scientist C V Muraleedharan and Balasubramaniam O.A., managing director of Tamil Nadu-based Roots Cast Pvt Ltd., adjudged the best working models through video conferencing.
