A school girl near Burdwan town, Digantika Bose, received recognition from the National Innovation Foundation (NIF) ~ a Ministry of Science & Technology initiative ~ for strengthening technological development in the grassroots with her innovative idea of developing a virus-killing mask which the nation is desperately seeking at this fuming time of aggressive Covid- 19 outbreak.
Bose, a class XI student of Vidyasagar Smriti Vidyamandir Institution (Unit – II) at Memari in Burdwan (East), had taken part in the Challenge Covid- 19 Competition (C3) floated by the NIF with her recently developed ‘Air providing and virus destroying mask.’
Today, Digantika received a communication from Dr Vivek Kumar of NIF in which the senior official has stated: “Your submission titled‘Air providing and virus destroying mask’ has been shortlisted and is being considered for further support.” Also, Dr Kumar has sought for Digantika’s consent for further progress of the tool she developed to confront the Covid-19 pandemic.
His communication further stated: “Share your consent or else if you have any question, don’t hesitate to contact NIF.” Centre has planned to gear up masks based on Digantika’s prototype, which would help mainly the physicians attending the Covid-19 patients. Also, this would help reducing the pandemic if the Covid-19 positive patients cover their face under this mask.
“This would kill every virus coming out of a Covid-19 patient during exhalation. This mask is designed not only to protect the human being from Coronavirus infection, but its designed to kill the virus instantly the moment it comes in contact with the mask,” claimed Digantika.
Asked, how it works, Digantika explained: “It’s a two-fold mask equipped with two numbers of one-way valves and filters planted in two directions and the valves are linked to two separate chambers.” During inhalation, one of the valves allows filtered air to get access to the lung and the filter kills the virus if it tries to enter through air.
Similarly, she explained: “When a Covid-19 patient exhales, or sneezes, the droplets containing Coronavirus coming out of his lung will pass through the other one-way valve linked to another chamber and get trapped and its lipid protein cover and will be destroyed immediately.” As the NIF has given recognition to his daughter’s project, Digantika’s father Sudipto Bose said: “I am really feeling proud that my daughter’s idea will help the nation at this critical hour.”
He works as a mentor of the technology hub of a private school in Memari. Digantika’s mother Shubhra Bose is a Computer Project teacher with Baidyadanga Girls’ School near Memari. Earlier, Digantika was honoured with ‘APJ Abdul Kalam Ignite Award 2017’ by the President of India for her innovative discovery of ‘Dust collecting attachment for drilling machine’ – a pollution control device. Also she had developed a specially designed mask for the beekeepers in 2016.