IIT, Ropar has developed a device ‘Jivan Vayu’ which can be used as a substitute for a CPAP machine. This is the first device that functions even without electricity and is adapted to both kinds of oxygen generation units like O2 cylinders and oxygen pipelines in hospitals. These provisions are not available in otherwise existing CPAP machines, said a statement.
“This was the need of the hour during the present Covid pandemic when the power supply is the key concern for saving lives of those on medical equipment such as ventilators and oxygen concentrators”, stated Dr. Khushboo Rakha, Assistant Professor, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, who has worked on the device at the Advanced Materials and Design Lab of IIT Ropar.
“It has an inbuilt viral filter at the air entrainment end which has a viral efficacy of 99.99%”, said Dr. Rakha. The viral filter ensures that the air does not bring in any pathogens from the environment. The device has been manufactured using 3D printing and has also been tested mechanically.
‘Jivan Vayu’ can deliver high flow oxygen (20–60 LPM) while maintaining a continuous positive pressure of up to 20 cm H2O. The device is designed to maintain a FiO2 of above 40% with a PEEP (positive end-expiratory pressure) of 5-20 cm H2O. Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) is a treatment method for patients having breathing problems during sleep called sleep apnea. The machine uses mild air pressure to keep the airways open for easy breathing. It is also used to treat infants whose lungs have not fully developed.
The machine blows air into the baby’s nose to help inflate his or her lungs. The treatment is all the more necessary during the early stages of the Covid-19 infection. It reduces lung damage and allows patients to recover from the inflammatory effects. The device is ready for medical testing and mass manufacturing. Dr. Rakha and her team have collaborated with Suresh Chand, Faculty Incharge, Rapid Prototyping Lab, Siemens Centre of Excellence at Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh for 3D printing of the device, said a statement.
