New Delhi, Mar 25 (IANS): Many people would remember the tragic second wave of the Coronavirus pandemic when arranging oxygen for patients suffering from breathlessness had become a major challenge.

Conventional oxygen support techniques for pulmonary, respiratory, and trauma patients in community outreach, were found to be time-consuming, costly, and required sophisticated equipment and procedures. It was difficult to reach them in time of need, especially to remote areas and during the peak wave time, even carrying those bulky cylinders had become a humongous challenge for the common man.

Now, an easy to handle and transport, multi-modal, smart phone-based, field-portable oxygen kit can provide consistent and cost-effective oxygen supply to communities during situations such as the Covid-19 pandemic and other situations such as medical emergencies and high altitude-related problems.

The field-portable smart bag pack emergency oxygen concentrator called Oxygen Plus was designed by GRS India, a Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DIPP) Government of India, recognized start-up with support from the North East Centre For Technology Application and Reach (NECTAR).

NECTAR is an autonomous organisation of the Department of Science and Technology (DST).

The product suitable for easy transportation in the hilly terrains of the country's northeastern region will be manufactured in the NER, DST officials said, adding: "In view of similar situations in the future, the start-up came up with the idea of development of a field-portable smart bag pack emergency kit-based oxygen refiller, which could be linked to a monitoring mobile app for Covid-19 and other emergency life support."

The device can also be used by frontline workers, paramedics, fire tenders, nurses, doctors for oxygen support during medical emergencies, trauma as well as disasters to protect the health workers from the risk of breathing contaminated air.

The patent filing is under process, the DST said.