‘Jivan Vayu’: IIT Ropar develops power free device for high flow CPAP therapy for patients on O2 support

New Delhi, June 15: The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Ropar has developed 'Jivan Vayu'- the first of its kind in India, 3D printed, power-free, life-saving device that can deliver high flow oxygen, and which can be used as a substitute for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine and mild air pressure to keep the airways open for easy breathing.

According to Dr Khushboo Rakha, assistant professor of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, IIT Ropar, the device has been tested mechanically and developed, and the team has collaborated with Suresh Chand, faculty in charge, Rapid Prototyping Lab, Siemens Centre of Excellence at Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh for its 3D printing.

This machine functions even without electricity and is adapted to both, O2 cylinders and oxygen pipelines.

"During summer, the electricity demand increases, and the distribution system, which is already fragile or not robustly built, gets overloaded, and power supply is interrupted. Rural India is likely to be the worst affected, with government data showing that nearly 39,000 health sub-centres in rural India functioning without electricity supply," IIT Ropar said in a press release.

It can deliver high flow oxygen while maintaining a FiO2 (Fraction of Inspired Oxygen is the concentration of oxygen in the gas mixture) of 40% with a PEEP (positive end-expiratory pressure) of upto 20cm H2O (water).

''We felt an urgent need to develop such a device after we saw a high number of Covid patients succumbing due to the lack of oxygen,''explained Dr Rakha.

The design specifications have been modeled to optimize an accelerated flow of up to 60 LPM (from an oxygen cylinder) and the device has been manufactured using 3D printing.

The device is ready for medical testing and the team is currently seeking industrial collaboration for the commercialization of this life-saving device at the earliest.