With the growing demand for protective equipment for healthcare professionals treating COVID-19 patients, a Hyderabad-based start-up has developed 3D-printed face shields and goggles. Using 3D printing technology, four young engineers have developed low-cost products which can provide additional protection to the face and eyes of the medical professionals or those engaged in relief work.

Mohammed Abdul Shukoor, a mechanical engineer, told IANS that the 3D printing technology can help overcome any shortage of protective gear for healthcare workers dealing with COVID-19 patients.

"In countries like China and the US, a similar effort was made to meet the huge requirement for protective equipment. We got inspiration from the same and started working on these two protective gears," said Shukoor, who along with his three batchmates founded a start-up Daava3dprintingservices a few months ago.

"We were working on various industry prototypes and due to the situation created by the outbreak of coronavirus, we thought of making some protective equipment. We are not doing this for profit as like healthcare professionals, police and others, we also want to make some contribution in tackling the situation," he said.

The start-up wants to make face shields and goggles for Rs 100 and Rs 150 respectively. It uses polymers like PLA and ABS in manufacturing of these products. Since they are not getting raw materials due to the lockdown, they hope the government will come forward to help them in this regard.

"Fabulous," commented Telangana Cabinet minister K.T. Rama Rao to a tweet about the start-up's innovations. Always the one to encourage innovations by young minds, he asked Jayesh Ranjan, Principal Secretary, Industry, to look into the same.

Shukoor said they received an inquiry for the products from an association of doctors engaged in relief work. The association is keen to procure 100 face shields and 100 goggles.