Indian Institute of Technology in Punjab’s Ropar has developed a first-of-its-kind Internet of Things (IoT) device - AmbiTag.
The institute stated that the device records real-time ambient temperature during the transportation of perishable products, body organs, and blood, vaccines, etc. AmbiTag is a USB-shaped device that continuously records the temperature of its immediate surroundings from -40℃ to 80℃ in any time zone for a full 90 days on a single charge.
Most of the similar devices available in the international market record data only for a duration of 30 - 60 days. AmbiTag has a range of inbuilt features to customise logging intervals, time zone, and alarms, said Dr. Suman Kumar, the coordinator of the IoT Systems Domain at the Agriculture and Water Technology Development Hub (AWaDH).
He said AmbiTag is a certified device priced below ₹1000 to ensure the broader use of the device in different applications. “It generates an alert when the temperature goes beyond a pre-set limit. The recorded data can be retrieved in user-defined format by connecting the USB with any computer,” he said.
“The AmbiTag temperature data log advises the user whether the transported item is usable or the cold chain has been compromised during the transportation. This information is particularly critical for vaccines, organs, and blood transportation in the Indian scenario,” he added.
“AmbiTag in India is developed by the researchers at the IIT Ropar Technology Innovation Hub - AWaDH and its startup ScratchNest. The ScratchNest is an IoT technology startup founded by four IIT Ropar students. AmbiTag is waterproof and monitors ambient temperature during the transportation of vaccines, including Covid-19, medicines, blood samples, food and dairy products, meat products, and animal semen. So far, such devices are being imported by India in a massive quantity from other countries, such as; Singapore, Hong Kong, Ireland, and China," said Amit Bhatti, one of the founders and directors of ScratchNest.
Project Director of AWaDH, Dr. Pushpendra P. Singh, said the institute is gearing for mass-production of AmbiTag. “The device will be made available to all companies involved in COVID-19 vaccine transportation from production facilities to the last mile vaccination centers in the country at the production cost of ₹400,” said Dr. Singh.
