IIT-Dharwad delivers home-made face shields to KIMS

The Indian Institute of Technology, Dharwad (IIT-Dh) has swung into action and prepared more than 500 face shields for the frontline healthcare workers, who are working in Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) here, where the COVID-19 patients are being treated.

Prepared by students and professors of the IIT-Dh, these shields comply with the guidelines prescribed by the World Health Organisation (WHO). These masks protect doctors from getting infected with deadly viruses that might have come out of the patient's body through coughing or sneezing.

The health personnel could wear them even on glasses or mouth mask while treating the COVID-19 patients.

Speaking to DH, IIT-Dh Mechanical Engineering Department's M A Somashekhar said, the IIT-Dh came to know about the shortage of face shields that were very much essential for the doctors treating patients infected with highly dangerous diseases. Some prototype masks were prepared using the 3D technology and sent them to the doctors. They selected one of them and later 500 masks were prepared and sent to the KIMS.

Prof Suryaprakash from the same department said, the easily available raw materials were used for making the masks. "We have received demand even from Belagavi and Kalaburgi districts. At present it may not be possible to meet the demand. We are able to produce only 500 masks now. Large-scale production of the shields is possible as all parts of the masks are designed and prepared separately. Interested local producers can learn the design and start preparing them," he said.

In a press statement issued by IIT-Dh Public Relation Officer said, Anand, Prof Amar, Prof Sudhir, Prof Samarth, Prof Kedar, Prof Satish, Prof Ramachandran, Ramachandra, Dr Surdeep Das from IIT Guwahati and volunteers of Rashtrothan School also contributed their labour and knowledge in making the face shield.

Those who are interested to know the know-how of the face shields could contact the IIT-Dh through email-- [e-mail]