India due to its rising population and pollution which further degenerate the health and well-being of the larger populace. There are new latest innovations and improved ways to combat the grief situation. Let’s go in-depth on the various inventions of researchers and inventors below:
Table of Contents
1. Used PPE Kits and Face Masks into Bricks, P- Block – 2.0
Popularly known as the Recycle Man of India, Binish Desai, Gujarat based innovator. Also the founder of BDream company on designing technologies to recycle industrial waste to sustainable building material.
His invention on the new P-Block – 2.0 bricks, using already worn PPE kits and face masks into bricks.This further prevent the unethical disposal of biomedical waste in times of COVID-19.
A full-fledged manufacturing unit commencing from September 2020. With the approval of a government-accredited laboratory, it is hopeful the company will promote sustainable development by latest innovations.
Sources and process of the materials
‘Eco Bins’ are placed in public places to dispose of biomedical waste from hospitals, schools, salons, bus stops, and neighborhoods. There are indication marks to show once the bins are full.
Finally, it is then shredded along with paper sludge and the binding mechanism to form a gum base.
About P-Block – 2.0
The bricks are made using 52% of shredded PPE material, 45% paper sludge, and 3% binding mechanism. Each brick is 12×8×4 inches in size and uses 7 Kg of biomedical waste per square foot. Moreover it is waterproof and fire-resistant. It cost Rs.2.8 per piece only.
2. OzoNIT, Sanitize household commodities without chemicals
Dr. D Haranath,Associate Professor in Physics Department of the National Institute of Technology(NIT),Warangal, Andra Pradesh with Chandra Rao,a PhD scholar developed OzoNIT within a week in May 2020.
Dr.Haranath got the inspiration in late May when various companies launched disinfectant devices with UV light. The machines disinfect objects and kill the virus and germs. Since the technique is quite expensive, he wants to design a more affordable device.This has let to his new invention during the time of the pandemic.
OzoNIT and its impact
The device, OzoNIT is an assembled refrigerator which is fitted with an ozone(O3) generator on top. It has several compartments for fruits, vegetables, and footwear.
With the works of the O3 generator, the fruits and vegetables are kept in water. Since O3 is highly reactive in water it removes chemicals, pesticides, and harmful colors.
The O3 further moves from the top to the bottom where the footwear is kept to disinfect and sterilize the whole device within 25 minutes.
The moment the switch is on, it produces 500 mg of O3 gas.The device works on a residential electricity unit and consumed only 13 watts of power peruse.
This version is the basic model, in which Dr. Haranath is looking forward for an investor or any manufacturing unit in developing the product.He further allows in modifying the equipment to a better outcome in the long run.
3. Low cost Rapid Testing Tech can detect COVID-19
A team of researchers of IIT Kharagpur,West Bengal under Professor Arindam Mondal, Assistant Professor,School of BioScience invented an alternative technology to the RT-PCR machine to detect the novel coronavirus.
This latest technology works on the principles of microfluidics.Also, the machine accepts both nasopharyngeal and oral swabs. Then the same component will generate the results on a smartphone-based application within one hour.
As the work does not require any technical knowledge, anyone can perform the test. However, it is necessary to wear protective gear.
Unlike the RT-PCR testing method which requires human intervention. This new method consumes less time and automatically delivers the test results through an application.
The testing device is Rs.2000. However the price per test is available at an affordable amount at Rs. 400 including the swab test.
The team further approached ICMR and other government mechanisms to test the sample from COVID patients.
4. IIT Graduates help agriculturists procure income
A Thane based agri-tech start-up, Rukart Technologies founded by Vikash Jha, Sharayu Kulkarni, and Gunavant Nehete in 2019.
The start-up developed a low-cost innovative ‘Subjee Cooler’ to help marginalized farmers hoard their farm produce in the cold storage. Mostly the produce is perishable and destroys before it can be wholly sold in the market. With this facility, the farmers are able to fetch more income in the offseason.
The function of Subjee cooler
The cooler is a brick and mortar storage facility fitted with a galvanized iron tank with a covering on top. The device works on the same phenomenon of evaporation of water, which further draws energy and produces a cooling effect.
Moreover, nitrogen balls in the tank ensure the temperature by a margin of 5-15°C. Also helps to maintain the humidity by 85-90% higher than the outer surface. Also, the cooler requires watering once a day, and electricity must be accessible.
The technology is popular amongst the farmers in several villages of Odisha, including Sundargarh, Balisankara, Kuarmunda, Tanongarpali, etc. Rukart is expanding and hoping to reach more villages of Maharashtra and Odisha.
5. Gurugram students design DIY hack to save RO waste water
A group of students from Shiv Nadar School, Gurugram have been working on their school project to conserve water. This results in the invention of the device to save the wastage of RO water at home and in public places.
These students reading in class-X decided to take up ‘water conservation’ as part of their project.Aditya Tanwar, Arjun Singh Bedi, Jeiya Khurana, Mohammad Umar, and Piya Sharma they like to call themselves ‘Fluid Force’. They work enthusiastically throughout this project.
Function of the device
It is simply a device that can save over 1000 litres of water disposed of by the RO system per day. Also,it is like a tap fixed to a regular running tap connecting with the RO.
It further recycles the water and then pumps back to the regular tap.Some uses for watering the plants, cleaning the floors and bathrooms, etc.
Impact on others
The students then visited commercial hubs where their device save water about 600 litres per day at present. Since the implementation of the project at homes, in the neighborhoods, and in public places resulting in saving enormous amount of water.
Including Tamil Nadu Dosa Corner saves up to 900 litres per day and Commissioner’s Office saves 300 litres per day. Since the launch of the project in 2019-2020, it has saved around 1,815 litres per day.
Also the device is available at Rs1000. The students are looking forward to a manufacturing entity for mass production. As well as a patent to sell their products on e-commerce platforms.