NASA shortlists 3 Indian firms to build low-cost ventilator for COVID-19 patients

After reviewing over 300 companies, NASA has selected three Indian firms among the 13 international manufacturers to make the brand new low-cost ventilator that would assist the patients of COVID-19. The engineers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California have come with a prototype of the machine in 37 days and have even received an emergency use authorization from the US government.

The three Indian companies who will join NASA’s venture to manufacture VITAL (Ventilator Intervention Technology Accessible Locally) are Alpha Design Technologies Pvt Ltd, Bharat Forge Ltd and Medha Servo Drives Pvt Ltd.

NASA has even shortlisted eight US-based companies to build the ventilator that would use only one-seventh of the parts that are required to build a traditional ventilator. While many countries are still rocked with the unprecedented outbreak of deadly coronavirus, VITAL is a ‘simpler and more affordable’ option for treating the critical patients of the coronavirus infection. Thus, NASA’s new machine would enable hospitals across the world to free the traditional ventilators for severe patients of COVID-19 disease.

"The VITAL team is very excited to see its technology licenced," Leon Alkalai, Manager of the JPL Office of Strategic Partnerships, and a member of the VITAL leadership team, said in a statement.

"Our hope is to have this technology reach across the world and provide an additional source of solution to deal with the ongoing Covid-19 crisis," it added.

In total, NASA has shortlisted 21 companies out of total 331 interested firms, including three Indian, eight American, three Brazilian, and one each from Canada, Egypt, Malaysia, Mexico, Turkey, UAE.

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'Firsts for humanity'

NASA's prototype of the ventilator has been hailed by the organisation's Administrator Jim Bridenstine. According to him, VITAL is one of the many "countless examples" that show the investments of taxpayers money in space exploration. The researchers at NASA have been able to push boundaries and achieve "firsts for humanity" to make life better on earth.

"This ventilator is one of the countless examples of how taxpayer investments in space exploration - the skills, expertise and knowledge collected over decades of pushing boundaries and achieving firsts for humanity - translate into advancements that improve life on Earth," NASA chief.

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Image Source: medeng.jpl.nasa.gov