How to develop an Oxygen Concentrator in open source and make it available to small manufacturers

 Here is the story:

As the Coronavirus continues to sweep across countries around the world,  a group of innovators known as the PillarTribe led by Maher Daoudi came up with the Oxikit, an open-source Oxygen concentrator anyone can build. The Oxikit provides immediate access of up to 24 liters per minute (LPM) of O2 with 92% concentration. The current target oxygen saturation range recommended for COVID-19 patients is between 92-96%.

TCE , the engineering consultancy division of Tata responded to COVID crisis by evaluating open source ventilator deigns and integrated COVID infrastructure solution with hospital design, Viral load reduction unit, vaccine refrigerator and Oxygen supply. TCE conceptualized an innovative idea and engineered the conversion of existing PSA Nitrogen plants to PSA Oxygen plants. TCE also prototyped an Indigenous portable O2 Concentrator using opensource Oxikit design with 100% Indian components. All components with Indian suppliers list is made available to Indian MSMEs.

Technido is a robotic startup that has taken this design, further simplified it and offer it in India under Marut brand name. 

There are many designs developed by Indian research organisations and offered as open source, free of charge technology but engineering upto component level as per Indian supply is a missing link. In this case TCE bridged the gap.

Read: ET article

History of Oxygen concentrators

India is struggling with second wave of Corona and this time the culprit is -supply limitation of medical grade oxygen. A brief history of oxygen concentrators:

Oxygen, the element, was discovered in1772, by Swedish chemist, Carl Wilhelm Scheele. From there, it took a little under 100 years for scientists and doctors to understand how to use oxygen to help those with varying illnesses and diseases. In 1885, the first ever recorded use of oxygen was documented for a medical purpose. This medical procedure was to treat a patient with pneumonia. This revolutionary treatment was administered and pioneered by Dr. George Holtzapple. Just two years later, a product was invented and sold that stored enough oxygen for intermittent use. At the turn of the twentieth century, a nasal catheter was used as the connection between the oxygen and the patient. It wasn’t, however, until 1917 that Jon Scott Haldane invented the gas mask to protect and treat soldiers who had been affected by dangerous chlorine gasses during the First World War.  Medical use of oxygen made major leaps and bounds up until World War II. Oxygen was mainly being used in hospitals to treat patients with a variety of respiratory issues. It wasn’t until the 1950’s that the first form of portable medical oxygen therapy was invented. This portable oxygen was used strictly in ambulances and on the scene of medical emergencies. 1970’s was revolutionary for medical grade oxygen therapy advancements. Finally, you could own your own oxygen therapy unit in your home. Over the next 30 years, oxygen concentrators began to shrink, due to the demand by younger and more active oxygen therapy patients who wanted smaller and more mobile machines. Presently, oxygen concentrators are small enough to fit in a purse, bring bike riding, or even store under your seat on an airplane! Nowadays, some concentrators can weigh less than 3 pounds, others have over 10 hours of battery life, and some home units have an oxygen output upwards of 10,000 ml per minute. (Source-https://www.oxygenconcentratorstore.com/history-of-oxygen-therapy/)

Check the patents:

https://patents.google.com/patent/US8016925B2/en

https://patents.google.com/patent/EP1401557A1/en

Invention story is not complete without patent infringement litigation. Check `Separation Design Group IP Holdings, LLC,  filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Inogen,