CHENNAI: Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M) incubated start-up Modulus Housing, has developed a portable hospital unit that can be installed anywhere within two hours by four people, said a statement from the institute on Thursday.
Called ‘MediCAB,’ it aims to decentralize the approach to detect, screen, identify, isolate and treat COVID-19 patients in their local communities through these portable microstructures.
‘MediCAB’ has been launched recently in Wayanad District of Kerala where the units are being deployed to treat COVID-19 Patients, the statement said, adding that the startup is developing micro-hospitals that can be deployed rapidly across the nation. The Medicab is foldable and is composed of four zones – a doctor's room, an isolation room, a medical room/ward and a twin-bed ICU, maintained at negative pressure.
Founded by two IIT alumni in 2018, Modulus Housing was supported by IIT Madras Incubation Cell and has a vision to revolutionise housing through modular prefab structures. They have re-purposed their designs to support the fight against COVID-19.
Modulus said that it is working on a dual design where these can be rapidly launched as COVID-19 isolation wards. Post-COVID-19, these can be transformed into micro-hospitals or clinics in rural India where the medical infrastructure needs to be augmented. Modulus Housing has set up its manufacturing unit at Chengalpet (located about 35 kms from Chennai).
India has 0.7 beds per 1,000 persons. Innovations such as the MediCAB will help boost the healthcare infrastructure in India as it can be rapidly transported, the statement said.
This deployment in Kerala has been undertaken with grant funds from Habitat for Humanity’s Terwilliger Center for Innovation in Shelter.
The startup collaborated with Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST) who provided inputs on the certifications and customizations necessary for the project. A demonstration video of the ‘MediCAB’ can be obtained by visiting
https://fromsmash.com/IIT-Madras-MediCAB-Demo.