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Hans India
19-07-2025
- Health
- Hans India
IIT Madras develops country's lightest wheelchair
Innovation is about a lightweight chat today. Lightweight wheelchair that has been taken from 17 kg to 8.5 kg. We have brought in about 50 per cent weight reduction. And we also got, significantly good number of research scholars plus, multiple disciplines, interdisciplinary work that has happened across mechanical, metallurgy, etc. We have used an interesting composite of carbon fibre plus aluminum together to reduce this. The World Health Organisation recently came up with data that nearly 15 per cent of the global population suffers from some form of disability currently and this number will only increase from current 1.3 to 1.9 billion at present to about 2.5 million by 2058. The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Madras, announced the launch of YD One -- India's lightest active wheelchair and also the country's first indigenously developed precision-built monu-tube rigid-frame wheelchair. The YD One was launched in the IIT Madras campus on Wednesday in the presence of Chief Guest Surgeon Vice Admiral Anupam Kapur, Nau Sena Medal, Director General Hospital Services (Armed Forces); V. Kamakoti, IIT Madras Director; Ravinder Singh, ICMR Scientist; Project Coordinator Manish Anand, Assistant Professor, IIT Madras. 'YD One is the country's first indigenously developed precision-built mono-tube rigid-frame wheelchair, designed to match the world's best,' an official statement said. YD One can be fully customised for each user's body, posture and daily mobility needs. Built as per international stardards, its ultra-lightweight and precision-engineered design delivers maximum strength and energy efficiency while making it effortless to lift, handle and stow in cars, autos or public transport. The YD One is also easy to carry with a weight measuring about only nine kg. According to V. Kamakoti, IIT Madras Director, 'Innovation is about a lightweight chat today. Lightweight wheelchair that has been taken from 17 kg to 8.5 kg. We have brought in about 50 per cent weight reduction. And we also got, significantly good number of research scholars plus, multiple disciplines, interdisciplinary work that has happened across mechanical, metallurgy, etc. We have used an interesting composite of carbon fibre plus aluminum together to reduce this.' Vice Admiral Anupam Kapur, Nau Sena Medal recipient and Director General Hospital Services (Armed Forces), said that the World Health Organisation recently came up with data that nearly 15 per cent of the global population suffers from some form of disability currently and this number will only increase from current 1.3 to 1.9 billion at present to about 2.5 million by 2058.
India Today
17-07-2025
- Automotive
- India Today
IIT Madras launches India's lightest active wheelchair
The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) today announced the launch of YD One - India's lightest active wheelchair and the country's first indigenously developed precision-built mono-tube rigid-frame wheelchair, designed to match the world's best. Built to international standards, YD One is fully customised for each user's body, posture, and daily mobility needs. Weighing just 9 kilograms, its ultra-lightweight, precision-engineered design delivers maximum strength and energy efficiency while making it effortless to lift, handle, and stow in cars, autos, or public One was launched today (16th July 2025) in the IIT Madras campus in the presence of Chief Guest Surgeon Vice Admiral Anupam Kapur, Nau Sena Medal, Director General Hospital Services (Armed Forces); Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras; Project Coordinator Dr. Manish Anand, Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Madras; Dr. Ravinder Singh, Scientist, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR); and other dignitaries and stakeholders. Across the world, the wheelchair is too often seen as a universal symbol of disability - something that confines or restricts its user. This narrative must change. A wheelchair, when built right, is not a burden but an enabler of independence, mobility, and full participation in for millions, the reality remains grim: most still rely on heavy, poorly fitted hospital-style wheelchairs designed for short-term indoor use. These chairs make it hard to move freely and force people to be pushed around by others - limiting comfort, freedom, and One transforms this reality. Built with precision-engineered geometry and aerospace-grade materials, it delivers the kind of high-performance, ultra-light mobility once only possible through expensive imports - but at a fraction of the cost. Minimalistic, stylish, and fully customised, YD One is not something users are bound to - it's something they are proud to own, a device that expands their world rather than shrinking it. Addressing the launch event, Surgeon Vice Admiral Anupam Kapur, Nau Sena Medal, Director General Hospital Services (Armed Forces), said, "In IIT Madras, the innovations and the products that are coming are coming with a heart. They are for with everyday usage and are for people who need it the most. Let me assure you that your work does not need to stay in a lab or at a prototype stage. It has to come into the real world. The Armed Forces have just been sanctioned a Centre for Advanced Research by the ICMR. They are going to be collaborating with IIT Madras and other start-ups to do the final medical validation, practical usage and the safety certification of all the innovative products that are coming out of this ecosystem."advertisementDelivering an addressing on 'Enabling Independence,' Surgeon Vice Admiral Anupam Kapur added, "Today, True independence means inclusion, dignity and self-reliance for each and every citizen of this country, regardless of their background, ability and circumstances. WHO has given a figure where they say that almost 15% of the global population suffers from some form of disability. In absolute numbers, this amounts to almost 1.3 to 1.9 billion and this number is going up. It is estimated that by 2058, this will be 2.5 billion, which is a huge number."Further, Surgeon Vice Admiral Anupam Kapur said, "As we get close to 100 years post-independence, We need to reflect on a deeper and a more evolving meaning of Independence for us. Independence is not merely personal, it is social, economic and technological. It is the freedom of a visually-impaired student to navigate a campus independently. Its the independence of a stroke survivor to communicate with his or her loved ones. It is the right of a rural women to access digital health. And it is the power of a veteran amputee to walk unassisted, if possible. In the armed forces, we see this pursuit of independence not in theory but we see it happening in true cases every day."advertisementCongratulating the team behind YD One, Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, said, "An inclusive society is fundamental for the prosperity of our country and technology should play a crucial role in ensuring the same. This is yet another demonstration of IIT Madras' commitment to this goal."Highlighting the vision behind this product, Prof. Sujatha Srinivasan, Head, TTK Center for Rehabilitation Research and Device Development, IIT Madras, who pioneered this project, said, "10 years ago, when R2D2 was established, we set out to change the assistive device landscape in India through world-class products to meet Indian needs primarily. We have realised that our products are well-designed and provide unique advantages in global markets as well, and we are proud to work with our passionate startups (first NeoMotion, now Thryv Mobility) to provide affordable choices and freedom to wheelchair users everywhere with YD One and more products to come."To bring YD One to market, the research team partnered with Thryv Mobility, an IIT Madras-incubated startup that will manufacture the wheelchairs locally to global benchmarks, ensuring each chair is truly bespoke and affordable to users in India and emerging markets. advertisementIndustry Partner Dr. Rejin John Varghese, Co-Founder and Head, Research and Development, Thryv Mobility, said, "Together with IIT Madras, we aim to ensure these wheelchairs are manufactured indigenously to global standards and offered at a price point that makes high-performance mobility accessible to those who need it the most."Adding to this, Project Coordinator Dr. Manish Anand, Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Madras, said, "YD One marks a new milestone in our journey to address the need for world-class mobility solutions at affordable price points for the Indian and global markets. It emerged as a need from the users and was co-designed with inputs from users, caregivers and clinical professionals at every stage."YD One's launch is supported by Trimble CSR initiative, which is providing the first 20 wheelchairs to deserving users, while RRD and Schueco India have stepped forward to support future provisioning - helping ensure that high-quality, active mobility becomes an everyday reality for those who need it the most. - Ends
Hans India
06-05-2025
- Health
- Hans India
Trust reborn: Rural hospitals record 33pc spike in deliveries in 3 months
Kothagudem: Where once there was a serious scarcity of specialised physicians, Vaidya Vidhana Parishad hospitals in isolated parts of the tribal district have now registered a sharp rise in the number of deliveries in the past few months. Notably, the hospitals across the district, including those at Bhadrachalam, Cherla, Aswaraopet, Manuguru, Burgampadu, Palvancha, and Yellandu, have recorded a major spike of a 33.33% rise in deliveries from February to April of the year. Not only that, pregnant women are lining up at the government hospitals. Dr Ravi Babu, the District Coordinator of Hospital Services (DCHS), speaking to The Hans India said, 'It is significant to note that 58 deliveries occurred at the Manuguru Hospital in April, compared to just eight in February. In the month of April, the district saw 400 deliveries, up from 300 in the month of February.' It is highly likely that this number will rise even more and it's not just because of the affordable pricing these hospitals offer. 'The high percentage of safe, incision-free births in government facilities is noteworthy. Compared to private hospitals, government institutions perform a relatively small proportion of caesarean sections,' said Dr Babu. But this isn't just a fluke. This was a well planned and meticulously executed strategy by the government. On multiple occasions, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, district ministers, and public officials instructed District Collector Jitesh V Patil to give the doctor shortage extra attention. Patil in turn instructed Dr Babu to provide a notification and announce more incentives for doctors. What followed was numerous specialised physicians being hired by various Vaidya Vidhan Parishad hospitals in outlying locations drawn by the incentives and wages offered. Now there are obstetricians, paediatricians, anaesthesiologists, and radiology doctors nearby, who are treating patients well. Dr Babu is well aware of their efforts. In their appreciation, he added, 'The number of deliveries in government hospitals has increased due to the regular cooperation of local public representatives, official coordination, infrastructure establishment with the district collector's assistance, availability of doctors and medical staff around-the-clock, lab test and ANC/TIFA scan availability for pregnant women, availability of childbirth-related medications, and installation of air conditioners and coolers in maternity wards.' Of course, one cannot neglect the affordability factor. In private hospitals, a delivery typically costs between Rs 30,000 and Rs 40,000. 'Poor individuals would therefore have less financial burden from scanning, blood tests, surgeries, and other aspects associated with their delivery.
