Mangaluru college develops low-cost respiratory support device

Vivekananda College of Engineering and Technology, Puttur, has come up with a low-cost respiratory support device ‘Viveka Jeevavardhaka’.

The group of faculty members and technical assistant staff used locally available materials at the college IoT laboratory and have developed the respiratory support device.

COVID-19, caused by the novel coronavirus, attacks the respiratory system and, on several occasions, patients require a respiratory support system. Keeping in mind the cost of the respiratory support system available in the market, the college considered developing a low-cost respiratory device. The device has been developed at Rs 10,000.

The respiratory support device was demonstrated to Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner Sindhu B Rupesh.

A person needs 6 to 10 ml per kg of oxygen and considering this factor the device has been developed using Arduino technology. The respiratory support device controls the quantity and speed of oxygen supplied from the oxygen cylinder and makes breathing easier for patients.

“The respiratory support device was developed taking into account the recommendations from Dr Varun Bhaskar of Anaesthesia and Emergency Department KS Hegde Medical Academy, Dr Bhaskar S, Managing director of Puttur City hospital, Dr Anil Baipadithaya, Consultant Gynaecologist and Dr SM Prasad, an anaesthesiologist,” said Principal Dr MS Govinde Gowda.

P Radhakrishna Bhaktha, Correspondent of the college, supported the initiative. Prof Srikanth Rao, HoD E&C Department, assistant professors Soumya Anil, Sudarshan M L, Satish, Bhaskar Kulkarni, technical assistants Shivaprasad HS and Venkatesh were part of the team developed respiratory support device.