EMCD has been building efforts towards producing products for countering COVID-19 pandemic through Ministry’s Scientific Society of Centre for Materials for Electronics Technology(C-MET). In this regard following efforts are on-going:
- Development of low-cost polymer swab for COVID testing kits. Considering the acute shortage of testing kits in the country, Centre for Materials for Electronics Technology (CMET), Pune, scientific society of Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has developed polymer swabs, consisting of polymer rod/stick and polymer fibers with locally sourced materials. Polymer rod is developed with thermoplastic polypropylene materials through injection moulding. Polymer fibers are then crimp pressed on the polymer rod. Sri Research for Tissue Engineering PVT. Ltd, Bangalore has carried out clinical and ethical trials. Result is satisfactory. Additive Manufacturing Society of India, Bangalore is now considering production of these indigenous kits in the country. A significant cost reduction is possible Italian substitutes.
- Development of indigenous technology of anti-viral and anti-bacterial masks. Centre for Materials for Electronics Technology (CMET), Pune, scientific society of Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has developed anti-viral and anti-bacterial masks with metal/metal semiconductor nanoparticles like Ag[at]ZnO and Cu[at]ZnO as a cost effective alternative of N95 masks in Indian market. Yshawantrao Chavan Institute of Science, (YCIS) Satara has carried out testing of the masks for antibacterial properties and pathogen tests and shown encouraging results.
- Development of cost-effective point of care plasmonic portable sensor for covid 19 virus antigen in blood. Centre for Materials for Electronics Technology (CMET), Thrissur, scientific society of Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology CMET has developed a point of care plasmonic portable sensor with disposable semiconductor based chips to detect antibody with presence of covid 19 virus in blood. The sensor was tested for food borne pathogens by Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (RGCB), Thiruvananthapuram. Functionalization of the sensor and the docking efficiency analysis are being carried out on the designed bio receptors with different pathogenic strains. First version of the biosensor is under validation at RGCB. This technology is now being modified for antibody testing in blood for Covid 19 patient. Such portable devices would be extremely useful for random testing of patients at affordable cost.
- Digital thermometer for screening and patient temperature monitoring for COVID-19. Centre for Materials for Electronics Technology (CMET), Thrissur, scientific society of Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology CMET has developed an indigenous technology for making chip thermistors (thermal sensor). Most of the commercial digital thermometers are based on thermistors because they have good accuracy, fast response, rugged and safe. Based on this thermal sensor CMET has developed an indigenous technology for low cost fast response digital thermometers suitable for point of care temperature measurements for COVID patients. Further research is on-going for to modify the technology for screening of COVID-19 infection with disposal tips.
