Kashmir’s ‘Newton’ designs low-cost oxygen concentrator prototype

Srinagar: At a time when the country is grappling with a crisis of oxygen equipment, 60-year-old Mohammad Ismail Mir has made an affordable prototype of an oxygen concentrator at home. His penchant for scientific innovation has earned him the title of ‘Newton’ among the locals.

“It took me around 20 days to make this prototype. It functions just like any other oxygen concentrator. It automatically provides oxygen and removes blockages if they are formed in it,” Mohammad Ismail said.

When asked about the number of people the prototype will be able to support, he said, “It will depend on the kind of compressor and filter we use. For one person we will use small ones and for more patients, the parts will have to be accordingly modified,” he said.

At a time when there is a dire need for oxygen concentrators, many have said with fine-tuning, such locally made prototypes can mitigate the shortage.

Mohammad Ismail said the oxygen concentrator prototype that he has made will cost something between Rs 10,000 and Rs 15,000, and he hopes someone will take the project forward.

Mohammad Ismail has studied till Class 12 and had to drop out due to financial conditions at home, but he always had a penchant for scientific innovations.

During the first wave of Covid-19, he had designed a prototype of an automatic ventilator. His work was widely appreciated. In 2008, he designed a lantern with a motion sensor with a fire alarm installation. (India Today)