IIT developing robots to deliver food, medicines to coronavirus positive patients in isolation wards

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MUMBAI: Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) are developing two robots which can be deployed in isolation wards for COVID-19 infected cases for delivery of food and medicine to patients and collection of contagious waste. The team from IIT Guwahati's Mechanical Engineering and Electrical Engineering departments believes the move will reduce human intervention in isolation wards.

"We are working on two robots--one for medicine and food delivery to isolation wards which can be customised as per the needs of the hospital and the second robot will be specifically for toxic and contagious waste collection from isolation wards," a team member said.

"The prototypes will be ready within two weeks, following which a test run will be conducted at the institute hospital and Centre of Nanotechnology where training is being conducted for health center doctors, nurses and healthcare workers - for handling and necessary precautions to be followed during COVID-19 breakout. Once done, the plan is to make robot-based screening units too" he added.

The institute is also in the process of setting up an advanced research centre and laboratory for COVID-19 analysis, which would help the entire Northeast region to test for COVID-19 and other dreadful virus detection and diagnosis.

"Our idea is to make this a state-of-the-art facility for the entire Northeast region. This centre in future would help to develop highly competent manpower for diagnosis of different infectious diseases in the early stage of infection and thus its prevention too," said IIT Guwahati Director, TG Sitharam.

"We have already provided two real-time PCR machines to Guwahati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) for the diagnosis of coronavirus. These machines would help in ramping the testing process by analysing 1000 samples if run for 12 hours continuously and 2000 samples in 24 hours," he added.

Meanwhile, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay has also started a helpline in collaboration with the government to help thousands of mothers who are stuck at their homes due to the ongoing lockdown over the coronavirus pandemic.

The new Toll Free “Maa Aur Shishu Poshan” Helpline No. is - 1800-267-7782.

It has been started for millions of mothers who are stuck at home due to the coronavirus pandemic and need expert guidance regarding "premature babies and under-nourished infants, child nutrition, breastfeeding, mother's nutrition, complementary feeding".

All the queries will be answered by doctors, nutritionists and field officers with 10+ years of experience. 

The new helpline number 1800 26 777 82 is now available in Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Gujarati and English.

The number of novel coronavirus cases climbed to 1,397 on Wednesday, while the death toll due to the pandemic rose to 35, according to the Union Health Ministry.

(With PTI inputs)