By Shrey Fadia, Analyst and Consultant, Artin Arts
The world is battling COVID-19 with constant innovation in the health sector and increasing awareness and keeping people them up to date with the latest information. Meanwhile, engineer Madindra Aryal designed respirators with minimal available materials in Nepal to contribute to society during this tough time.
Nepal is witnessing a steady increase in coronavirus cases across the country, and it is becoming difficult for hospitals to manage the sudden surge in the number of patients with a lack of equipment.
This initiative, led by Madindra Aryal, is now supported by Claire Esteveny, an engineer from Rennes. Talking about Madindra, she said, “He is an electronics engineer and professor, and he is used to developing various connected object projects to meet the needs and requirements of his country because the infrastructures are different from France.”
It is not the first time Madindra has come up with innovative solutions to help people of Nepal. In 2015, when an earthquake hit his hometown Kathmandu, he and his family stayed in tents for days without electricity. However, Madindra saw this as an opportunity to do something for people there and built a solar-powered cellphone charger and called this project as Nepal’s Light.
Building a respirator with limited components is not easy. Special equipment is needed for the intensive care of patients. Clarie currently manages to make respirators by hand and minimal parts available in her laboratory. However, she is struggling to gather technical and practical data via the Internet to report back to Mandindra in Nepal.
According to Madindra, the first prototype is very well advanced, as he is able to now work collaboratively with hospitals and waiting for approval. However, to make it available public and ensure it reaches masses, funds are required. Currently, the estimated price of this respirator is €500 each.
Madindra has created a fundraiser on gofundme, where you can contribute to his project and help him build more respirators.
Furthermore, Madindra recently got an opportunity to develop a hand sanitizer tunnel in APF Chobar. The tunnel is fully automated – a person enters the tunnel and the sanitizer stops after four seconds. Madindra is a currently working on sanitizer projects for various hospitals like KMC Hospital Kathmandu and Gangalal Hospital Kathmandu, as well as public places.
Madindra created a UV sanitizer to help sanitize clothes, masks, globes, and other equipment that are often used in hospitals. Bright young minds like Madindra and Claire inspire the youth of Nepal, and people around the world, as we all fight this global pandemic.
About the author: Shrey Fadia is an engineer, analyst, consultant and writer covering the most disruptive fields in technology today including AI, IoT, Blockchain, Cybersecurity, Communications Platforms as a Service and more, with a special interest in innovations that improve lives. While working towards his Master of Science degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from State University of New York (SUNY) at Binghamton, NY, Fadia has published numerous articles on advances in software-based solutions in several industry publications.
While working towards his undergraduate degree in engineering in India, Fadia and a team of other students developed a Smart Wheelchair leveraging sensors and affordable features including retrofitting existing equipment to make mobility possible using gesture mechanisms and obstacle avoidance. Their innovation was featured at an IoT Evolution World Expo in 2017. Fadia is currently a Graduate Teaching Assistant at State University of New York (SUNY) at Binghamton, NY while consulting for companies as a Senior Analyst for strategic tech communications firm Artin Arts, based in NYC.
