CHENNAI: IIT Madras in collaboration with
Phoenix Medical System
will on Tuesday launch an indigenously designed
standing wheelchair
which enables a person on a wheelchair to stand without any help.
The wheelchair called Arise, was designed and developed by TTK Centre for Rehabilitation Research and Device Development (R2D2) at IIT Madras. Union minister of social justice and empowerment Thaawarchand Gehlot will launch the vehicle at a function here.
"Using wheelchair all the time can give secondary health issues like lowered blood circulation, sore body and pressure sores. One needs to stand at least three times a week. But, standing is not possible due to their condition and they need support from other people," said professor Sujatha Srinivasan, department of mechanical engineering, IIT Madras and also head of the
R2D2 lab
.
Researchers have integrated the standing mechanism. The standing wheelchair will cost the same as normal wheelchair," said professor Sujatha.