DRDO redirects Spo2 regulator intended for high-altitude soldiers to Covid-19

Amid the ongoing oxygen and ICU bed crisis, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in Bengaluru has come up with a supplemental oxygen delivery system.

DRDO said that this Blood Oxygen Saturation system which had been developed with soldiers posted at extreme high-altitude areas in mind, can now be redirected to help with oxygen therapy during the ongoing second Covid-19 surge.

Developed by DRDO’s Defence Bioengineering and Electro-Medical Laboratory (DEBEL), the system delivers supplemental oxygen based on the SpO2 levels and prevents the person from sinking into a state of hypoxia.

Hypoxia is a state in which the amount of oxygen reaching the tissues is inadequate to fulfill all the energy requirements of the body. It is one of the primary causes of death in the ongoing pandemic.

DRDO said that their system reads SpO2 levels of the subject from a wrist-worn pulse oximeter module through a wireless interface and controls a proportional solenoid valve to regulate the oxygen supply to the subject. The oxygen is delivered from a lightweight portable oxygen cylinder.

DRDO said that the system can be used in households for moderately affected Covid patients for Oxygen flow therapy with flow controlled at 2, 5, 7 or 10 litres per minute.

“The automatic usage has a huge advantage in the household, as the oximeter would give an alarm for lower SpO2 value. It will automatically increase or decrease the oxygen flow based on SpO2 setting,” DRDO said, adding that the system will reduce the workload and exposure time of doctors and paramedics involved in monitoring the SpO2 levels of patients.

The system is available in various sizes from one litre and one kg weight with 150 litres of oxygen supply to 10 litres and 10 kg weight with 1,500 litres of oxygen supply which can sustain a patient for 750 minutes with a continuous flow of two liters per min (lpm).