New borns to 14-year-olds with respiratory issues can soon breathe easy with paediatricians getting access to the first immersive bronchial simulator.

Hyderabad-based Sankhya Technologies has won a contract and is building what it claims to be the world’s first such facility, in Singapore. It will be housed in the National University Hospital there.

“We won the contract against stiff competition from global leader CAE of Canada, about two weeks ago. It’s a challenging project for us,” Sridhar Krishna, Chairman and Managing Director of Sankhya Technologies, told BusinessLine .

The bronchial simulator or bronchoscopy facilitates training to healthcare providers who in turn can extend the best treatment for kids up to the age of 14 and ensure healthy breathing. Immersive technologies use virtual reality and augmented reality concepts in simulators to enhance training experience.

“With the incidence of upper respiratory tract infections and bronchial problems high among Indians, the need to have one in the country is high and we will be ready to develop one soon,” he added.

The ₹160-crore software training and simulation company is betting big on immersive technology as the biggest driver in the near future. “We have a first-mover advantage in the sector, which has a predicted market of $569 billion by 2025 according to Citi.”

Focus areas

The key focus areas will be to use immersive virtual reality training in aviation, medicine, energy and defence. Sankhya has projects developed and ongoing in naval destroyer engine-room operations, emergency medical technician, aircraft walk-around inspection and borescope inspection of aircraft engine, etc, Krishna said.

For the emergency-care medical technician, Sankhya is working independently and has submitted a proposal to the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research. It will have an all-round utility in training personnel for emergency care in hospital sector as well as on field.

The company has carved a niche in software-based simulation training and developed training management systems, which it markets as a product to clients.

With the global spend in training growing at an average of over 20 per cent annually and the near term projected market being over $20 billion, the company is well positioned to grow rapidly, said Sridhar. It is having an order book of ₹360 crore.

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