In the last few decades, various viral diseases have spread across continents and caused massive fatalities. The latest in the list is the COVID-19 pandemic, which has put the healthcare system of various countries out of gear. Protection of the general population needs efficient clinical masks and sanitisers, suitable devices for screening and detection, homebased ventilator systems to complement healthcare facilities and other products and technologies to monitor and control the spread of diseases.

The Technology Development Board (TDB), a statutory body under Department of Science & Technology invites proposal applications from Indian companies and enterprises to address protection and home-based respiratory intervention for COVID-19 patients. The proposal may include technologically innovative solutions like low-cost masks, cost-effective scanning devices, technologies for sanitization of large areas as well as for contactless entry, rapid diagnostic kits and oxygenators, and ventilators.

The Board provides financial assistance by means of soft loans (up to 50% of project cost @ 5% simple interest per annum), Equity participation (up to a maximum of 25% of the project cost) or grant in exceptional cases, for encouraging the commercial application of indigenously developed technology; and for adapting imported technology to wider domestic application.

Proposals may be submitted online via TDB website www.tdb.gov.in on or before 27th March 2020. The details can be downloaded from www.tdb.gov.in. Queries may also be raised via the Feedback/Query option on the TDB website. The submitted proposals will be evaluated on the basis of scientific, technical, commercial, and financial merits.

The areas in which the technologically innovative solutions are invited include the following:

Low-cost masks which can capture virus from the air and absorb respiratory droplets
Cost-effective Thermal Scanning
Large area sanitization and sterilization (including electrostatic spray and Ultra Violet treatment for various available surfaces like glass, ceramic, wood, textile, etc.)
Bioinformatics and Surveillance
Rapid and Accurate Diagnosis kit (paper-based and other point of care devices)
AI and IoT based solution for contact-less entry
Oxygenators and ventilators (Low cost and portable)
Or any other related technology