On March 30, 2020 Jclean weather Technology private limited, company of Science & Technology (Scitech) Park, Pune has developed a technology- “Scitech Airon negative ion generator” to control viral, bacterial and fungal infections in closed environments can clean the air & disinfect areas caused by COVID-19 positive cases & suspects.

Key Points

• It ensures the well-being of staff, doctors and nurses working around the clock in quarantine facilities by improving their disease resistance power and ability to fight viruses.
• It is developed under the National Initiative for Development and Harnessing Innovations Promoting and Accelerating Young and Aspiring technology entrepreneurs (NIDHI-PRAYAS) program initiated by the Department of Science and Technology (DST).
• DST has released Rs 1 crore to manufacture and scale up the product, of which 1000 are ready to be installed in various hospitals in Maharashtra soon.
• The SciTech Airon ionizer machine generates negatively charged ions at approx hundred million per 8 seconds (10 ions per sec). The effectiveness of the ion generator has been found in a variety of pathogens such as influenza virus, coxsackie virus, polio virus, human coronavirus, allergies, bacteria and fungi.

What is NIDHI?

• NIDHI is an umbrella programme developed by the Innovation & Entrepreneurship division, Department of Science & Technology, Government of India to nurture start-ups through scouting, supporting and scaling of innovations.
• NIDHI-PRAYAS: Support from Idea to Prototype, is one among its 9 components.