Coronavirus: IIT Madras start-ups develop PPEs from 3D Printers and stationery materials

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras-supported start-ups have developed Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as face mask and intubation boxes using 3-D printers and available stationery material to help frontline working fighting coronavirus.

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras -supported start-ups have developed Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as face mask and intubation boxes using 3-D printers and available stationery material to help frontline working fighting coronavirus.

Initial batches of these innovations have already been supplied to frontline healthcare workers and are in the process of being scaled-up for mass production for deployment to hospitals and clinics in need across the country at affordable rates.

Fabheads Automation, an IIT Madras-incubated start-up has developed the 3-D printed face shields and intubation boxes. The start-up holds expertise in manufacturing parts from plastics and fibre-reinforced plastics. The start-up has been supported by the IIT Madras Incubation Cell.

Face Shields made using simple stationery items have been developed by Axis Defence Labs, an IIT Madras Student Start-up founded by Sathvik Batte, a 2nd-year student, Dept of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Madras. The start-up is supported by 'Nirmaan', the IIT Madras pre-incubator that helps students' to get their ideas converted into products through proper guidance and mentorship.

In association with ‘CY4,’ an automotive start-up based in Chennai, and other start-ups across India, Axis Defence Labs is planning to distribute these face shields across the country.

To help the country in its fight against coronavirus, many IITs and other educational institutions are coming up with new innovations. These innovations are focused not only on protecting healthcare workers attending to coronavirus patients but also on those who are in quarantine facilities and are fighting to get cured of this deadly virus.