IIT Hyderabad, USafe Healthcare develops 'world's most affordable respirator mask'

Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad along with USafe Healthcare has developed a respiratory mask which it claims to be the world's most affordable. Check the details here.

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Hyderabad has come up with a US9 respiratory mask, which it claims to be better than the N95 mask for protection against several viruses. The masks will cost about Rs 13 per day.

Manufactured by USafe Healthcare, a latest entrepreneurial entity from the Centre for Healthcare Entrepreneurship, IIT Hyderabad, the firm is said to have developed and commercialized the world’s most affordable respirator mask that is highly durable and adhere to the highest safety standards for operating in hazardous environments.

“USafe’s US9 Respirator Mask has 98.03 per cent PM0.3 filtration rate and 99.7 per cent bacterial filtration rate, which is better than the N95 standards. It can substantially be more effective in protection against the COVID-19 virus than the one that is currently present in the market,” Sai Laxman Bharadwaj, Co-founder and Technical Director, USafe Healthcare.

The mask along with 10 complementary filters will cost about Rs 499. A pack of 30 filters costs Rs 399. It creates value for the consumer by offering a fresh N95 standard equivalent mask every day at as low as Rs 13, making it a path-breaking affordable innovation, he said.

Jayesh Ranjan, Principal Secretary, Telangana, who launched the product said that this is yet another significant contribution from IIT Hyderabad and the state of Telangana towards fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The innovation that the US9 respirator mask can be reused, not only reduced the recurring cost but also drastically reduces the biowaste generated due to protective masks,” said Ranjan.

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