Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras (IIT-M) have filed 184 patents during the year 2020, including 65 international ones.
Nine of the patents were related to COVID-19 for inventions to detect severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2); a standalone portable single-use wireless ventilator system, a system for non-invasive calibration-free blood pressure measurement and sustainable devices to treat infectious masks and PPE waste.
Patents were filed in fields such as 5G, telecommunication, sensors and instrumentation.
According to IIT-M officials, the number of patents had risen steadily since 2017 when 22 patents were filed. The number of international patents had tripled in just four years to 65 during 2020.
The officials attribute the rise in patent filing to initiatives of the Centre for Industrial Consultancy and Sponsored Research (ICSR), such as a dedicated intellectual property cell.
It conducted awareness programmes for students and faculty members. During the lockdown, the cell took all activities online.
ICSR Dean Ravindra Gettu said, “The innovations at the institute have resulted in the filing of 184 patents during 2020. The extensive research related to COVID-19 has led to the institute short-listing nine Invention Disclosure Form (IDF) to be filed during 2020.”
Virtual Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) meetings helped applicants seek patent protection internationally for their inventions.
