The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed bio-suits made out of special sealant for medical, paramedical and other health workers who are engaging with COVID-19 patients.

The special sealant serves as a better alternative to the existing seam sealing tapes used in submarine applications. ‘Presently, bio-suits prepared using this glue for seam sealing by an industry partner have cleared the test at Southern India Textile Research Association (SITRA) Coimbatore,’ statement released by the Ministry.

In terms of its effectiveness, the Defence Ministry said that the DRDO laboratories have applied their technical expertise subjecting the bio-suit for rigorous testing on the textile, coating, and nanotechnology parameters as well as protection against synthetic blood, which is important in the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to combat the deadly virus.

The DRDO said that with the help of suit manufacturers, the wing can mass-produce the glue, hence resolving the current unavailability of seam sealing tapes that is hampering the production of these suits.

Currently, Kusumgarh Industries, along with another vendor is producing the raw material, coating material, with the complete bio-suit being manufactured, stating the current production capacity at 7,000 suits per day. Another vendor is being brought in with experience in garment technology to ramp up the capacity to 15,000 suits per day, the Ministry said.

Earlier, the DRDO has produced several products and technologies for defence against Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) agents. Defence Research and Development Establishment (DRDE) Gwalior, a laboratory of DRDO, has developed Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Permeable Suit Mk V. Fifty-three thousand suits have been supplied to Army and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).

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