The pandemic, a result of Wuhan’s Coronavirus is an unfortunate chapter in the history of mankind. With the virus claiming crores of lives in its first as well as second wave, hoping for a better future seems rather difficult to do. A 19-year-old boy from Pune, Maharashtra, named Nihaal Singh Adarsh, the inventor of the Cov-Tech Ventilation System stands to prove otherwise. A second year engineering student from KJ Somaiya College of Engineering (KJSCE) made the Cov-Tech Ventilated PPE kit for all the frontline workers battling Covid 19.

Home: The Beginning of it All

During last year’s lockdown, KJSCE as well as the Technological Business Incubator, RIIDL (Research Innovation Incubation Design Laboratory) had launched a design challenge to create a proactive solution in tackling Covid 19. Nihaal’s mother, Dr Poonam Kaur Adarsh, a general physician dealing with Covid positive patients in her ‘Adarsh Clinic,’ expressed to her son about the difficulties of working while sporting a PPE outfit with issues such as sweating, constant heat and so on. This inspired Nihaal to design a device for the PPE suit which could solve his mother’s as well as other frontline workers’ issue.

Nihaal Singh Adarsh

Not only was the boy supported by his friends and family, but was also encouraged by his educational institution. “On May 17, 2020 amidst the lockdown, my family helped me receive a special permission from the government as well as my college to travel alone to Mumbai. At the Rapid Prototyping Development Lab by RIIDL, I created the first working prototype of the ventilation system. Throughout the process, my friends Rutwik Marathe, the product’s Chief Designing Engineer Sayli Bhavsar, who handles the front face of Watt technovations as the Chief Marketing Officer and other hostel friends have supported me a lot,” Nihaal added.

What is Cov-Tech Ventilation System?

In an interview with News Karnataka, the founder of Watt Technovations and the product developer of Cov-Tech explained the functions and structure of the device. It’s a compact ventilation system which can be fashioned as a simple belt around the waist. This tool can easily be attached to the PPE suit. It contains a filter which possesses a fan. The fan is controlled by a complicated electronic circuit. It operates by taking fresh air from outside to filter it, and pumps it inside the PPE outfit. Through this, the already existing heated humid air inside the suit gets pushed out through natural spaces. “Highest quality of Lithium ion batteries have been used to make Cov-Tech. It only takes 3 – 4 hours for a complete charge and runs for about 6 – 8 hours,” Nihaal claimed.

Available at Rs.5499, not only does Cov-Tech help the frontline workers avoid any discomfort, but also aids in preventing fungal infections.

Invention Garners National Aid

From the Nidhi Prayas Scheme, Nihaal was granted an amount of Rs 10 lakh from the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India to develop this valuable device. He conveyed that especially during such unfortunate times, the governmental help is very crucial. Nihaal contended that without the grant, things wouldn’t have moved forward. The grant makes a huge difference for such innovators as it gives a major incentive to start working with. “It gave me such a big kick and motivated me to work. I realised that with such lump sum amount, I could develop moulds and make necessary investments. I believe the grant becomes very vital in supporting young entrepreneurs,” Nihaal mentioned.

Nonetheless, there are some problems that arise in procedures. “The execution process of giving such grants can be made more streamlined and faster for people to acquire. I faced some resistance in actually acquiring the funds even after they were granted to me. Perhaps, this aspect could be certainly worked on by both the parties,” he said. Through this grant, the team has made Cov-Tech available at subsidised costs. Currently, the device is manufactured by Ranjangaon’s Sanjay Technoplast Pvt. Ltd, Pune. “It’s ready to be of service to the doctors. We’ve already given Cov-Tech to two hospitals in Pune and we’ve received positive feedback from them as well,” the creator mentioned. Additionally, Watt Technovations have collected enquiries from Allahabad, Tiruchi, Thiruvananthapuram, Nagpur and so on.

Inevitable Obstacles

For the inventor of Cov-Tech, one of the major challenges that were faced was lack of motivation. With rising death rates and restrictions during the lockdown, adversity comes around rather easily. “It was very difficult to wake up everyday to try, despite the many electronic and mechanical failures that came our way, in such a negative environment. There were so many issues in the initial stages of the prototype development like negative feedback. Juggling between this and college work was a task. But my college and friends have been supportive and considerate in overcoming these hurdles,” the CEO of Watt Technovations maintained.

A Moment of Pride

With media praise and national recognition, Nihaal sure does agree that his ‘small’ contribution to the society in these desperate times is crucial in making the society, a better one to be a part of. “One of my favourite compliments that I have garnered is a comment on a Cov-Tech news story which said ‘Now the country is changing,’ which makes me feel proud of my efforts,” confessed Nihaal.

Speaking on his future endeavours, Mr Nihaal Singh Adarsh informed that he’d like to develop more products in the Mech-Tech sector. “I aim to reach a lot of doctors nationally as well as internationally for my economical product to be of better use,” he added. “If you have an idea, just get behind it. Manage time. Pursue your idea. It would take a long time; I chased my product for over a year now. But you have to keep going. We’re all pretty young. And some of us are blessed enough to have caring parents, a shelter and meals every day. It becomes our duty to put in hardwork in order to make something big happen,” Nihaal suggested to the youth of the country.

Such young minds indeed try to create the change that they would want to see. The blossoming population of the country which often resorts to vocalising through social media, could utilise this incredible story of Nihaal’s Cov-Tech Ventilation System to draw inspiration from. With such contributions to the society, humanity’s war against the pandemic may have a chance to emerge victorious.