Here is some good news for the defence forces deployed at border outposts in snow clad glaciers, deep forests, deserts etc., as well as those on board naval ships, in far off deep seas. The Defence Research and Development Organisation has announced that the Rugged and Portable Tele-medicine System developed by Defence Bio-engineering and Electro-medical Laboratory, Bengaluru (DEBEL) is in advanced stages of acceptance by the Indian Army and Navy.
“User trials have been successful in sub-zero temperatures and received well by senior officials of the Indian Army and Navy. Both the forces have expressed keen interest for speedy induction of Telemedicine System into the forces, while Indian Air Force has also applauded the same,” said the DRDO spokesperson Ravi Gupta. He further disclosed that although developed chiefly for the armed forces, Telemedicine System may be within reach of civilian populace in remote places of India soon, just like various technologies developed by DRDO in the past has found use in civilian population as well.
“Telemedicine system will be cost effective and capable of using multiple communication channels including audio-video based on multiple links like various satellites for data and image transfer etc. Within no time, the system would link all field areas, base and command hospitals with tertiary link being the Army Research and Referral Hospital in New Delhi for expert and specialised medical intervention,” Mr Gupta said.
The system would enable doctors and paramedics posted in forward areas or on-board ships to seek and follow instructions from expert doctors sitting in command hospitals or R&R while transmitting required physiological parameters of the patient like ECG, BP, heart rate, temperature etc., using Data Acquisition System for in-teractive communication.