Innovators come up with 3D masks, touch-free devices in Rajasthan

Jaipur, January 25

Necessity is the mother of invention and coronavirus pandemic threw up a challenge to innovators to come up with new medical items and devices to tackle the spread of the dreaded virus and other diseases in Rajasthan in the past few months.

The desert state has recently launched India's first 3D masks as well as touch-free devices to detect heart and diabetes complications at rural health facilities.

The 3D masks developed by a private company in association with experts of SMS Hospital and Malaviya National Institute of Technology in the state capital promise protection from up to 99.9 per cent of the infections.

SMS Hospital's senior neurosurgeon Dr VD Sinha said the masks were totally designed, developed and produced in Jaipur under the leadership of Dr Yaragatti, along with Aha3D company.

Company Director Aakash said that each mask weighing 40 gm is transparent and made of soft, reusable oxygen mask material. It has replaceable filters, and is effective at protecting the wearer from harmful pathogens.

The mask can be sanitised with hot water or steam and can be reused immediately. Eleven filters are given with each mask, which can be used for up to 3 months. Beyond that period, the user only needs to buy the filters. This means that the mask can be re-used for years.

Saarthee Technologies, a company founded by an MNIT alumnus, provided 500 3D masks to SMS Medical College Principal Dr Sudhir Bhandari. In addition, 200 3D masks have been given to Jaipur police. Saarthee technologies and Aha3D are part of the MNIT Alumni Association.

Similarly, innovative touch-free Point of Care Devices (POCDs) to detect heart and diabetes complications have been set up at rural health facilities due to the efforts of WISH (Wadhwani Initiative for Sustainable Healthcare, a flagship programme of Lords Education and Health Society (LEHS).

WISH state Director Biswa Ranjan Patnaik said: "I feel proud that the people of Rajasthan are getting screened for peripheral neuropathy caused by diabetes by 'Neurotouch' and for cardiac and respiratory health by 'Dozee'. These two devices are meant to address the primary healthcare needs of the last-mile population in the state." WISH Associate Director Dinesh Songara said that people of 21 sub-centres and PHCs in 14 districts will be screened in the state.

He said diabetes could lead to many complications, which could however be detected early among diabetics through 'Neurotouch' devices. Similarly, with 'Dozee', a person's breathing rate, blood-oxygen saturation, heart rate and its variability and myocardial performance matrix are getting screened.

He said the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), Department of Science and Technology, government of India, has funded the innovators who made these state-of-the-art POCDs.

Songara said General Nursing and Midwifery staff of 21 health centres in rural areas in Rajasthan have been trained to use these touch-free POCDs.

Dr Tarun Choudhary, Project Director (Maternal Health), government of Rajasthan, said that such devices and techniques will help save time and money and ensure early diagnosis of diseases. PCODs will prove very helpful for people living in rural areas to screen people who otherwise have limited access to healthcare, he added.

Similarly, the state is slated to get another innovative product — a nanotechnology-based antimicrobial coating that has been globally patented.

This innovative product kills harmful germs in a closed space for two years at a stretch. It is non-toxic, odourless, colour-neutral and lasts two years. There is no other product anywhere in the world which lasts this much, says Chief Executive Officer Shrutidhar Paliwal, Framtix Holdings AB, the antimicrobial shield company based in Malmo, Sweden. -IANS

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