IIT-Madras startup develops customizable, portable hospital units that can be assembled in under 8 hours – DNA India

Modulus Housing, an IIT-Madras incubated startup has developed and deployed a portable hospital unit called MediCab. The makers claim that it can be installed anywhere, in under eight hours by four persons. 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.

It is said that six of these collapsible, customizable structures can fit in a truck. 

Made using steel, composite materials and coated with a primer the company claims that the portable hospital unit can serve its purpose for a little over 12 years. 

‘MediCab’ has been launched recently in Wayanad District of Kerala where the units are being deployed to treat COVID-19 Patients. The startup is developing micro-hospitals that can be deployed rapidly across the nation.

The 800sq feet model that is being used in Wayaad can house 12 persons and has two in-built restrooms. Modulus is also 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/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).

When asked about the advantages offered by such structures over existing structures such as large stadia and schools etc, Shreeram Ravichandran, CEO Modulus Housing told WION that this offering is meant for places in rural areas that lack the basic infrastructure. “It is better to isolate Covid-19 patients in negative pressure rooms than to keep them in large halls in schools and colleges. Our model comes with an exhaust, industrial dome which ensures ventilation. After the Covid-19 pandemic, we can reconfigure our structure into a rural health camp or a daycare centre for children, education camp etc.” he said. 

In Negative pressure rooms, the air pressure inside the room is lower than the air pressure outside the room. This means that when the door is opened, potentially contaminated air or other dangerous particles from inside the room will not flow outside into non-contaminated areas. Instead, non-contaminated filtered air will flow into the negative pressure room. Contaminated air is sucked out of the room with exhaust systems, which are built with filters that clean the air before it is pumped outside of and away from the healthcare facility.

In terms of cost, the company says that the 800sq ft model would cost about Rs.12lakhs to build. The end product would finally be available at around 15lakhs after electrical fittings, plumbing, flooring and false ceiling are done. The company is said to be in touch with various state governments for scaling up this project.

“We can scale up and make a 50-bed hospital in about 2 weeks and the materials are also easily available off the shelf. And our models are like lego bricks and can be expanded easily” Shreeram added. 

The company says that they make use of a novel technology of collapsible structures. It comes equipped with a prefabrication modular technology and a telescopic frame that allows the model to be shrunk to 1/5th of its original size, which makes it convenient for storage and transportation. They say that their offerings can be customized based on user needs and that the cost varies based on the specifications demanded by the customers.

Founded by two IIT alumni in 2018, Modulus Housing now has a 15 member team and works with various industry partners and the IIT alumni network.