IIT Ropar students develop AMLEX, a device that supplies a required volume of oxygen to the patients

AMLEX is designed specifically for oxygen cylinders and can be easily connected between the oxygen supply line and the mask worn by the patient (Photo: PIB India/ Twitter)

IIT Ropar: In another great news, The Indian Institute of Technology, Ropar has come up with a first-of-its-kind Oxygen Rationing Device, named AMLEX that will help supply a required volume of oxygen to the patients (while inhaling) and trips when the patient is exhaling Carbon dioxide (CO2). This process would help save oxygen which gets unnecessarily wasted otherwise.

What happens generally is that during exhalation, the oxygen in the cylinder or pipe is pushed out along with the exhaled Co2 by the patient. This results in a large amount of oxygen wastage in the long run. Also, a huge amount of oxygen escapes from the openings of the mask to the environment in the resting period (between inhalation and exhalation) due to continuous flow of life saving gas in the mask, the study published by PIB Chandigarh read. As the demand for medical oxygen jumps manifold amid the second wave of coronavirus, the device would help from unwanted wastage of the oxygen.

Developed by PhD students of Biomedical Engineering Department of the institution, the device can be operated on both portable power supply (battery) as well as line supply (220V-50Hz), said Prof. Rajeev Ahuja, Director, IIT Ropar. Mohit Kumar, Ravinder Kumar and Amanpreet Chander were the ones associated with the innovation under the guidance of Dr. Ashish Sahani, Assistant Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering.

AMLEX is designed specifically for oxygen cylinders and can be easily connected between the oxygen supply line and the mask worn by the patient, said Dr Sahani. With the help of a sensor, it successfully detects inhalation and exhalation of the user in any environmental condition. This ready to use device works with any commercially available oxygen masks having multiple openings for air flow, added Dr Sahani.

Applauding the new innovation, Dr GS Wander, Director, Research and Development at Dayanand Medical College, Ludhiana, said that pandemic times have taught us the importance of effective and pertinent use of life saving oxygen. Many hospitals are increasing their oxygen production capacity these days, but a device like this can really help in limiting the use of oxygen in small rural and semi urban health centers, he added.