• Investment World
• eWorld
• Catalyst
• Mentor
• Life
• Canvas
• Praxis
• Urban Pulse
• Brand Quest

Lalitha Sridhar

IIT-Madras's Biomedical Engineering Division has invented devices that are examples of how the scientific spirit can address practical problems. Lalitha Sridhar reports.

An equipment designed by IIT-Madras, that senses pressure on the feet to help diagnose physical ills.

Lush stretches of verdant green, symbols which warn of deer on the road and suddenly, large concrete blocks with miles of corridors. This is Chennai's renowned IIT, home to some of India's brightest minds and greatest ideas. The heights of rarefied science are rooted in meticulous groundwork, as we discover.

In its Biomedical Engineering Division of the Applied Mechanics Department, the faculty and students have given finishing touches to a portable communication aid for spastic children. The result of a project undertaken with the support of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, the device is just one of the many examples of how the scientific spirit can address, and find solutions to, practical problems.

For the last three decades, post-graduate students of Chennai IIT's Biomedical Engineering Division have pioneered several studies, which could have an impact on improving the lives of people with disabilities of different kinds. Some of the innovations remain on paper while others are prototyped to the last detail.

Amongst these noteworthy accomplishments, several could benefit locomotor-impaired individuals. In one of the projects, spearheaded by Professor K.M. Patil, a new polycentric above-knee prosthesis for walking, squatting and sitting cross-legged was designed, created and fitted to two amputees and successfully tested.

Several initiatives are collaborative in nature and this one was carried out in association with the Artificial Limb Centre, also in Chennai. The walking and ground reaction patterns were studied using a light emitting diode system, a computer and a force platform. The prosthesis can be fitted to above-knee amputees of different heights by adjusting the length of the pylon. It has pneumatic swing phase control and it also has a polycentric knee joint, which simulates the human knee joint motion, an added advantage since it requires less effort in usage. All the above features proved successful and a quantitative locomotion study revealed that the prosthesis was stable as well.

In another initiative for the disabled, the Biomedical Engineering Division evolved an EMG biofeedback device to act as an aid for paralysis. Biofeedback provides the patient with information about the ongoing physiological process through audio-visual means — which in turn enables the subject to increase muscle activity by reading the feedback. Signals indicate the extent to which such therapy is required. Over several sittings, the patient is able to improve the flexibility of his hands.

In another project, Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) helps paraplegics. Paraplegia is an accident or lesion-related paralysis of both the lower limbs. But research has shown that if the peripheral nerve was intact, FES could restore a degree of function to the affected limbs by applying low-level currents via an externally worn device, which also records improvements.

Among the many inspiring examples, G. Charanya, an MS student now in her final semester, is working on diabetic footwear to prevent and heal foot sole ulcers, which can help large numbers of diabetic patients.

She says, "Projects which are specifically aimed at finding technology solutions for the disabled also allow us to test our theoretical syllabus. Yes, there is a certain satisfaction in knowing that something we create could significantly contribute to the quality of somebody's life. These projects are more practical than any standard practicals."

Dr Ramasubba Reddy, Faculty, Biomedical Reengineering Division, IIT-Madras, with a device he put together to help spastic children communicate more easily.

For the communication device for spastic children, Dr Ramasubba Reddy interacted with NGOs from the disability sector, as is standard practice for the department. His group then worked on connecting a combination of two computers with wireless technology.

One of the PCs gets hooked up to a LCD display, which acts as a touch screen — a visual keyboard. With only nine keys to be pressed in a variety of permutations and combinations, a spastic child is able to access internationally accepted Blissymbols.

Having a fairly comprehensive vocabulary, with 150 Blyssymbols, the gadget enables the children to develop a remarkable communication system instead of being constrained by only basic commands. It is estimated that this prototype would cost Rs 10,000 to manufacture commercially.

Though 10 lakh people are born every year with cerebral palsy, hardly any will benefit from it. PC usage is not widespread and the scope for application of devices of this kind is limited. Some answers are obviously available. But, sadly enough, not accessible.

Despite beginning — and concluding — several projects over the years, the department is unable to ensure they move beyond the realm of pure science onwards to practical application.

The reason, says Dr Ramasubba Reddy, is that "Marketing is not our forte. We did spend a considerable amount of funds on the communication device and tested its utility at Vidya Sagar, formerly Spastic Society of India. The response was very good. But money constraints do exist and our projects are not sustained by any commercial intent. The technology blueprints are available for the asking but we are unable to devote time to publicising it. Our time-consuming priority will always remain academics."

Nevertheless, sustained support to technology is already providing startling answers to questions the voiceless want to ask.

Pictures by Shaju John

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail
Comment on this article to BLFeedback@thehindu.co.in

Stories in this Section
Food with a difference

Copyright © 2002, The Hindu Business Line. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu Business Line