The device can be easily connected between the oxygen supply line and a patient's mask

The Indian Institute of Technology, Ropar has developed a first-of-its-kind Oxygen Rationing Device which increases the life of medical oxygen cylinders by three times.

This will help in maximising the availability of oxygen to patients during periods of high demand like the second wave of Covid-19.

Named AMLEX, the device supplies a required volume of oxygen to the patient during inhalation and trips when the patient exhales CO2.

This process saves oxygen which otherwise unnecessarily get wasted during exhalation, when the oxygen in the oxygen cylinder/pipe is pushed out along with the exhaled CO2 by the user.

A large volume of oxygen also 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.

"As we have seen, the demand of medical oxygen has jumped manifold amid the second wave of Covid-19, the device would help in stopping the unwanted wastage of the same," said the Ministry of Education while announcing its features on Tuesday.

It has been developed by PhD students of the Biomedical Engineering Department of the institution - Mohit Kumar, Ravinder Kumar and Amanpreet Chander - under the guidance of Assistant Professor Department of Biomedical Engineering Ashish Sahani.

According to Sahani, AMLEX can be easily connected between oxygen supply line and the mask worn by the patient. "It uses a sensor which senses and successfully detects inhalation and exhalation of the user in any environmental condition”, he explained.

This ready to use device works with any commercially available oxygen therapy masks having multiple openings for air flow.

“The device can operate on both portable power supply (battery) as well as line supply (220V-50Hz)”, said Director IIT Ropar Rajeev Ahuja.