The latest assistive mechanism for the differently abled community, developed by IIT Madras team is making wonders. The wheelchair ‘Arise’ is designed in a way to help handicapped people to shift from sitting position to standing position and vice versa. Arise is India’s first indigenous standing wheelchair. The user can control the wheelchair with his arms to suit his convenience.
The wheelchair is developed in collaboration with Phoenix Medical Systems, a leading manufacturer of assistive devices & equipment. Thaawarchand Gehlot, Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment launched the standing wheelchair at IITM Research Park. The device was designed & developed by the TTK Center for Rehabilitation Research & Device Development (R2D2).
The wheel chair, indigenously-designed at IIT-M with the support of the UK-based Wellcome Trust, is priced at about Rs 15,000. The operation of the wheelchair depends on the user leveraging the power of their arms. The wheelchair was tested with more than 50 people with spinal injuries. The standing wheelchair will hit the market soon at affordable prices.
