IIIT-A scientists develop affordable device to separate plasma from blood in minutes
Prayagraj: In a ground-breaking development that promises to revolutionise healthcare, scientists from the Indian Institute of Information Technology, Allahabad (IIIT-A) have created a cost-effective device capable of separating plasma from blood within minutes.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
Presently it takes an average of 10 to 15 minutes to separate plasma from one unit of blood.
The device can also remove contamination from water within minutes.
The innovation is poised to dramatically reduce both time and cost currently associated with such processes.
This indigenous device, developed under a project funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), govt of India, was granted a 20-year patent.
The study was also published in the prestigious Royal Society of Chemistry journal in the United Kingdom.
Amit Prabhakar from the Department of Applied Sciences at IIIT-A, who led the project, said "The device works on the principle of hydrodynamic techniques, a simple yet highly effective application of general science. It uses micro-channels that allow one drop of purified liquid output per second. It can separate different blood components, be it red blood cells (RBC), white blood cells (WBC), platelets and plasma, and that too with high precision.
Likewise, when it comes to water purification, it efficiently filters out bacteria and suspended particles."
Highlighting the cost advantage, Amit said conventional machines for similar tasks can cost several lakhs of rupees, making them inaccessible to small clinics and rural health centres. In contrast, this device is expected to be made available at just Rs 1,000.
On scaling up, the cost of water filtration could be reduced further to as low as Rs 50–200 per unit, with a full multi-device setup costing approximately Rs 5,200.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
The project saw active participation from MTech students Ankur Jaiswar, Praveen Kumar, and Amar Dhwaj. The project was granted between 2015 and 2020, and after completing it, the team started filing patents. Up till now, they have filed five patents, out of which three were granted while two are under review.
Amit said one of the major advantages of this new water purification system is that it does not require a replaceable candle or membrane filter, unlike conventional RO systems.
"The device can filter out particles as small as 2 nanometres and as large as 10 micrometres. Additionally, in its 2022 upgrade, the team introduced a method to detect whether water was effectively purified, further improving its practical utility," he said.
"The product is still being refined to improve efficiency, but we already achieved success in the first phase, particularly in separating bacteria from water," shared Amit.
This innovation is expected to benefit both urban and rural populations, offering a sustainable and affordable alternative for blood processing and clean drinking water.
"With continued support, this could mark a major step forward in India's push for self-reliance in healthcare and sanitation technologies," he added.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Gazette
an hour ago
- India Gazette
QuBeats wins Defence Ministry's iDEX ADITI 2.0 grant of Rs 25 crore to build Quantum Navigation Systems for Indian Navy
New Delhi [India], June 7 (ANI): Indian quantum deeptech startup QuBeats has won the prestigious ADITI 2.0 Defence Challenge to develop an indigenous Quantum Positioning System (QPS) for the Indian Navy. The award, which comes with a grant of Rs 25 crore (USD 3 million), will enable QuBeats to build next-generation high-precision quantum sensors that promise accurate navigation in GPS-denied or spoofed environments - a critical capability for modern military operations. QuBeats said in a release that it is disrupting conventional paradigms with its innovative quantum magnetometer technology in an era heavily dependent on satellite-based navigation like GPS. 'These high-precision sensors detect the Earth's unique magnetic anomaly signatures, enabling navigation that is entirely independent of GPS systems--reliable by day or night, in any condition. This groundbreaking capability offers transformative benefits across both military and civilian domains, addressing a potential market of USD 10 billion. The startup is currently raising a seed round to accelerate its product research roadmap,' the release said. 'As one of the few quantum sensing companies of its kind in India, QuBeats is redefining the country's strategic technological edge,' it said. The release said the company has been founded by a stellar team of physicists, engineers, and defence technologists and is building a suite of quantum products that include Quantum Magnetometers, Quantum Gyroscopes, Miniature Atomic Clocks, Rydberg Radars, and highly sensitive target detection sensors for critical and strategic use cases. 'Winning the ADITI 2.0 Challenge is not just a validation of our unique technology approach, but a clarion call to India's quantum aspirations. QuBeats is here to build the future--and build it from India,' said the founders in a joint statement. The release said QuBeats is uniquely positioned with a first-mover advantage in India in an age where navigation sovereignty and sensor dominance define military superiority,. With foundational IP in quantum sensing, a strong R&D pipeline, and a global outlook, QuBeats aims to productize quantum sensing solutions for defence, aerospace, energy, and critical infrastructure. The founding team includes Mallikarjun Karra - a PhD candidate at Max Planck Society, Madhu Talluri -postdoc from Lawrence Berkeley Lab, Shouvik Mukherjee - a finishing postdoc at Joint Quantum Institute at Univ of Maryland, US and Rajat Sethi - a graduate of MIT, Harvard and IIT Kharagpur. The release said China and the United States are investing billions in quantum navigation and sensing. China's PLA has integrated quantum magnetometers for stealth submarine detection, while the US is advancing chip-scale quantum clocks and gravity sensors for battlefield resilience. It said QuBeats provides India a vital response to these developments. 'By creating indigenous, battle-ready, and globally competitive quantum systems, QuBeats is India's answer to strategic parity in quantum warfare,' the release said. QuBeats said it proud to lead India's charge 'with vision, innovation, and the indomitable spirit of first principles' as quantum becomes the new high ground in defence and aerospace. (ANI)
Hans India
an hour ago
- Hans India
Bihar: Gaya beneficiary gets free treatment under Ayushman Bharat scheme
Gaya (Bihar): The Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), the world's largest publicly funded health assurance scheme, continues to be a lifeline for countless Indians. Offering free medical treatment worth up to Rs 5 lakh per family annually for secondary and tertiary hospital care, the scheme has emerged as a game-changer in India's healthcare landscape—especially for the poor and lower-middle-class population. In Bihar's Gaya district, the impact of this flagship scheme is evident in the story of Lalan Chaudhary, a farmer originally from Nalanda district. Currently undergoing treatment at Magadh Medical College in Gaya, Lalan is receiving all his medical services—surgery, medicines, accommodation, and food—completely free of cost through his Ayushman Bharat card. Speaking to IANS, Lalan Chaudhary, a beneficiary, said, 'The hips of both my legs were damaged. I've been under treatment for the last one and a half months, and it's all being done free of cost through the Ayushman card. Where would poor people like us get Rs 5 lakh for treatment? We are grateful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Medicines, food—everything is taken care of. This is a very good scheme.' Chaudhary learned about the scheme when a government outreach team visited his village. 'They helped us make the Ayushman card at home itself. Now, many people in our village are benefiting from it,' he added. Such personal accounts reflect the broader transformation in India's healthcare ecosystem over the last decade. Through a combination of digitisation, public sector engagement, and targeted welfare initiatives, the Government has brought quality healthcare within reach for millions who previously struggled with high costs and red tape. Crucially, Ayushman Bharat addresses the needs of the "missing middle"—families who neither qualify for traditional subsidies nor can afford costly private insurance. By enabling access to timely hospitalisation and treatment without pushing families into debt, it has shifted the narrative around medical affordability. As of May 30, 2025, more than 41 crore Ayushman cards have been issued across 33 States and Union Territories. These have enabled over 8.5 crore hospital admissions, translating into Rs 1.19 lakh crore worth of treatment covered. A robust network of nearly 32,000 empanelled hospitals, including both public and private facilities, ensures that beneficiaries like Lalan Chaudhary receive uninterrupted medical care. The scheme's reach was further expanded in October 2024, when the Government extended coverage to all senior citizens aged 70 and above, regardless of their income status. This has particularly benefited elderly citizens in the middle-income group, offering peace of mind to families burdened by rising medical expenses. In tandem with Ayushman Bharat, the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) is revolutionising access to affordable medicines. What began with just 80 outlets in 2014 has now grown into a network of 16,469 Jan Aushadhi Kendras. These stores provide high-quality generic medicines at 50-80 per cent lower prices than their branded counterparts, all certified by WHO-GMP standards. Together, these schemes are ushering in a silent but powerful healthcare revolution in India—bridging the gap between policy and people, and turning the right to health into a lived reality.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
State nod to 1,117 rural health sub-centres
1 2 Ranchi: The state govt on Friday approved Rs 6,199.35 crore for the construction of 1,117 health sub-centres to ensure the delivery of basic health services to rural and remote areas, officials said. As per the 2011 census, the state comprises 4,345 panchayats. Of these, 2,931 have health sub-centres and 167 are equipped with primary health centres, community health centers, or sub-divisional hospitals. But 949 panchayats lack health facility. The additional chief secretary of the state health department, Ajay Kumar Singh, said, "A total of 1,095 health sub-centres would be establishedunder the 15th Finance Commission's sanctioned development programme and 22 sub-centres through inter-component adjustments. A sum of Rs 55.50 lakh has been allotted for each centre under the 15th Finance Commission." Officials said the Union ministry of finance, department of expenditure, finance commission division issued operational guidelines to the state health department to enhance healthcare infrastructure through autonomous bodies in accordance with the recommendations of the 15th Finance Commission. The committee approved the proposal based on these guidelines. Health minister Irfan Ansari said, "The committee has given its nod to the sites identifed for each sub-centre. The move is expected to improve healthcare accessibility and infrastructure at the grassroots level."
