The start-ups and Entrepreneurs from IIT Roorkee are taking the fight against COVID-19 to a next level by developing technologies and medical devices on war footing. Incubated at TIDES Business Incubator, these products are going to be available in the market pretty soon, covering the broad spectrum from diagnosis, treatment and safety in a pandemic situation.
“During this unprecedented time, we are committed to augmenting the government efforts to tackle COVID-19. TIDES Business Incubator plays a catalytic role in encouraging spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation. By designing equipment for diagnosis, treatment and safety, we are gearing to meet the challenges in this crisis,” said Azam Ali Khan, CEO, TIDES, IIT Roorkee.
Log9 Materials, a Sequoia & Exfinity funded startup, has come up with an innovative, first-of-its- kind product named CoronaOven that makes use of UV-C light in combination with significant design parameters in order to effectively sanitize the surfaces of various products/objects of regular use in healthcare and household settings, thus preventing surface-to-human transmission (of Covid-19 causing virus). Graduated from TIDES, Log9 Materials developed this technology within 2 weeks, beating the lockdown challenges, and it is now ready for mass deployment.
Raven Eye, an incubated startup founded by Prof Kamal Jain of IIT Roorkee, has developed a surveillance system to fight COVID-19 through a unique tracking mobile application. Using geofencing technology, the system generates alert if any individual violates quarantine. In case the network is not available, the application will send alert through SMS.
Realizing the immense need for sanitizers to fight COVID-19 spread and the impending shortage, Heal Agnostics Pvt Limited developed a herbal sanitizer in the lab itself and distributed more than 600 litres of it, free of cost within IIT Roorkee campus. The startup is mainly developing technology for fast detection of various type of cancer, but living upto to the true spirit of an Entrepreneur, they rose up to the occasion to meet a timely need.
“It is heartening to learn that our incubated companies, past and present, are coming forward to tackle COVID-19. We stand with the government at this critical juncture and I am very hopeful that our country will be successful in protecting us from widespread misery,” said Prof. Ajit K Chaturvedi, Director, IIT Roorkee.
With the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in the country, the biggest challenge is to ensure a sufficient quantity of Ventilator. Prof Akshay Dwivedi and Prof Arup Das, from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, along with AIIMS Rishikesh developed a low cost, portable closed-loop ventilator. Aptly named, ‘Pran Vayu’, the ventilator has feedback that can control tidal volume and breaths per minute. Some of the features of the ventilator are remote monitoring by health professionals, touch screen control of all operating parameters, moister, and temperature control for inhaled air. The ventilator has generated extraordinary interest from the industry community with several offers for manufacturing in scale. The team has also developed face shields which can be used by health workers/ doctors while treating COVID-19 patients.
Shellios, a smart helmets startup, founded by Alumnus Amit Pathak, is developing a Powered Air Purifying Respirator (PAPR) which can be used by health workers/doctors to counter infection in the hospital premises. They are also separately working on another model of low- cost respiratory aid. Vyaan, a cleantech startup, led by a group of IIT R Alumni, is developing an extremely low-cost reusable mask which can be made available in mass quantity. Both Shellios & Vyaan are incubated and seed funded by TIDES BI.
Test right Solution, founded by Alumnus Shubham Rathore, is developing a Real Time PCR and virus detection kit. This indigenously developed system is expected to be floated at 1/4th of the cost and would multiply the number of tests conducted, by enhancing the existing hospital and lab facilities available in the country. TBS Planet, a media tech start-up at IIT Roorkee, is providing free online subscription of its comics to motivate children during the lockdown period.
All the above entrepreneurs and others are going an extra mile to develop technologies for the masses in a cost-effective manner. The most interesting aspect is that the products are developed in a short span of time in the labs itself, overcoming the limitations of supply chain and access to equipment. Though the results, thus, achieved, only re-emphasize the role played by the institute and its alumni in such challenging times.
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