CHENNAI: Faculty members, researchers and students at Indian Institute of Technology – Madras filed for 184 patents in 2020 despite the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown.
In fact, nine patents are related to Covid-19 inventions, including a wireless ventilator system, a system for detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 and smart and sustainable devices for treating mask and PPEs.
Besides healthcare and medical devices, patent applications were also filed in other areas like 5G, telecommunications, sensors and instruments.
Another major highlight is the steady increase in filing for international patents. From 22 in 2017, the international patent applications have increased to 65 in 2020.
Ravindra Gettu, dean, Centre for Industrial Consultancy and Sponsored Research (ICSR) , IIT-Madras, said, “The innovations at the institute have resulted in the filing of 184 patents (Indian and international) in 2020. The extensive research related to Covid-19 has led to the institute shortlisting nine IDFs (Invention Disclosure Forms) to be filed during the year 2020.”
The IIT-Madras in-house IP analytics team also provides support to inventors with a report of comprehensive ‘prior art’ search results. This helps inventors understand the patentability of their inventions and also helps to design around, if needed, before filing patent applications.
The institute filed 190 patent applications, including 62 international patents, in 2019.
Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/iit-madras-faculty-researchers-file-for-nine-patents-related-to-covid-19/articleshow/82141061.cms
