For IIT Guwahati, 2020 has been a year of innovations related to the Covid-19 pandemic, realigning the way the Institute functions according to the new normal and serving the nation at large.
IIT Guwahati has put in every effort to overcome all unprecedented challenges of 2020: From virtual lessons to ensure continuity of learning for students, to virtual-reality based convocation addressed by Prime Minister Modi wherein 1803 students graduated.
The institute also saw resounding success with virtual campus placements in the time of Covid-19 and to top it all, innovations to tackle Covid-19 such as — self-check kiosks, multiple diagnostic kits, low-cost UVC LED systems for disinfecting surfaces, and spray-based antiviral coating and PPEs.
The institute conducted all its activities and functions online this year, which included virtual learning, virtual convocation, and virtual placements and internship programmes at the time of a pandemic.
IIT Guwahati’s innovations to stop Covid-19
IIT Guwahati has been in the forefront in the fight to stop the spread of novel coronavirus and has been providing scientific and technological support, an extension of sophisticated instrument facilities as well as involved in the immediate development of life-saving equipment to Assam State and Guwahati Medical College and Hospital.
Mentioned below is the list of innovations by IIT Guwahati to lead the fight against Covid-19-
- Development of low-cost UVC LED system to disinfect areas amid COVID-19
- Development of affordable antiviral/antibacterial spray-based coating for Personal Protective Equipment to prevent the spread of infection
- Development of 3D Printed Ear Guard for Comfortable Use of Face Masks by Healthcare Workers
- Data-driven assessment of COVID-19 situation in India by IIT Guwahati in collaboration with Duke-NUS
- Designing and developing low-cost ventilators
- Designing and developing of low-cost intubation boxes
- Development of a contactless mobile application for safe air travel
- Development of Low-cost heat-based Sanitizer Trunk
- Development of Injection Mould for mass manufacturing of Face Shield
- Development of Disinfectant Tunnel
- Collaboration with Hester Biosciences Limited to develop a vaccine against COVID-19
- IIT Guwahati alumni develop and deploy drones for spraying disinfectant in public spaces to prevent Coronavirus. The drones can also be equipped as Medical Delivery Drone and Thermal Imaging drones.
IIT Guwahati joined hands with RR Animal Healthcare and supplied lakhs of ICMR approved VTM kits, RNA isolation kits to National Health Mission, Assam, and across the country and have also developed RT-PCR kits very soon. Rapid antigen kits have also been developed by the institute to help the cause of Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan, a first for any educational institute.
The institute also introduced some new courses such as MS (Research) in E-mobility and a course on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030 in the Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) curriculum from this academic year (2020-2021).
Courtesy: India Today