As new smart devices flood the markets, India will soon have its own brand of smart device for the visually challenged.
IIT Delhi and Chennai-based Phoenix Medical Systems are set to launch an innovative Smart Cane, a navigation and mobility aid for the visually challenged, which is expected to cost less than ₹2,000.
This is one of the products being developed and marketed under the Wellcome Trust initiative, which funds translational research for affordable healthcare in India. The global charitable foundation is funding about £30 million for such projects that aim at translating basic science to affordable and innovative healthcare products.
“The smart cane product, conceptualised by IIT Delhi and being produced by Phoenix, is set to be launched in the market within a month,” Ted Bianco, Director of Technology Transfer, Wellcome Trust, told Business Line on the sidelines of a medical summit here.
Although India does not produce any smart canes as visual aids, some imported devices are available locally, costing about ₹20,000 each. “Our design emphasis has been on affordability. We have carried out extensive user trials across multiple locations,” Shirshendu Mukherjee, Sr Advisor, India Initiative, Wellcome Trust, said.
Another product under this programme that is close to commercial launch is a hand-held ophthalmoscope that can detect retinopathy. This product is being developed by Remidio, a Bangalore-based product design and development firm, under the Wellcome Trust transfer of technology programme.
Innovative healthcare “This product will cost less than half of the ophthalmoscopes available in the market, which are also centralised in their availability. Our product is a battery operated one with reflex free retinal imaging. We are also making a mobile platform for the product so that it can transfer the images to doctors located far away for providing the report,” Mukherjee said.