Brakes India along with the Sundaram Medical Foundation and IIT Madras, Kauvery Hospital, the Madras Medical College and with guidance from global educational institutions such as MIT-Boston, have jointly developed a low-cost automated respiratory assist device called Sundaram Ventago.

“The Sundaram Ventago is a ‘Make in India’ product with a local supply chain, based on proven global technology. It can be produced quickly in larger numbers,” said Sriram Viji, deputy managing director, Brakes India.

“The Sundaram Ventago will also have a great impact post-COVID as this device can make respiratory support more affordable and available to all,” he said.

The first batch of 25 pieces are under production at the Brakes India facility of the TVS Group. User training and support will be provided through a dedicated mobile app.

The other partners for Sundaram Ventago are Vibromech, Janatics, Aditya Auto and Syrmatech, said the company statement.

The ventilator works with or without compressed/hospital air and oxygen and requires only a standard power connection to operate. Such ventilators are especially useful in remote and rural areas where facilities are not available.

The device can also be used with a standard UPS and mounted on a crash cart, wheelchair, bed, in an ambulance to support patient mobility and used as an emergency transport ventilator, the statement said.

The device has been functionally validated to international standards and an extensive risk analysis has been performed with Healthcare Technology Innovation Centre of IIT Madras.

The ethics committee at Kauvery Hospital is in the process of evaluating the device. The device is ready to go into production and manufacturing will be scaled up in line with orders received.