COVID: Telangana youth invents portable electric mask nebulizer amid medical oxygen crisis

A 24-year-old man from Telangana's Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district has invented an 'electric mask', which acts as a portable home nebulizer. He came up with this idea out of concern after witnessing the plight of people struggling to obtain oxygen cylinders and concentrators for treatment of those battling with severe COVID-19.   Kunchala Shiva Nagaraju created the mask with assistance from his team of college-going students including those pursuing the B. Tech programme, who connected with him in his projects through social media.

Nagaraju claimed that the mask enables people to breathe in purified filtered air and is better than other masks that are available in the market. While speaking with ANI, he further explained the process of using the device.

"The air, entering the nebulizer, passes through an air chamber and from there to the medicine chamber after getting filtered. The air eventually passes through another filter and then through a small pipe that is attached to the mask. Thus, people will be able to breathe in double filtered air". he told ANI.

Shiva elaborated that in the making of the 'Electric Mask' a regular cloth mask is used which is fitted with a thin air pipe/ IV pipe inside it. The mask has a small channel where the pipe is connected from the nebulizer. The Nebulizer is fixed in a small wooden box that is portable and very handy to use.

"The cost of the portable home nebulizer electric mask is Rs 600 -700," Shiva told ANI

The 24-year-old said that he always wanted to become an engineer but somehow ended up being a B.Com (Computers) graduate due to various factors, including financial issues. He has since then also set up 'Blue wings', a start-up.

"The team took nearly about 128 attempts to get the final product and have spent nearly about Rs. 38,000," Shiva told ANI.

COVID-19 situation in Telangana

According to the Telangana government, the state reported 3660 new COVID-19 cases, 4,826 recoveries and 23 deaths in the last 24 hours. Total cases 5,44,263, Total recoveries 4,95,446, Death toll 3060, Active cases 45,757

(With ANI Inputs)

(Image Credits: ANI/PTI/REPRESENTATIVEIMAGE)