IIT Madras claims to have developed Indias first indigenous motorised wheelchair vehicle
New Delhi Aug 23 PTI Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology IIT Madras claimed to have developed Indias first indigenous motorised wheelchair vehicle that can be used not only on roads but also on uneven terrainsCalled NeoBolt it has a maximum speed of 25 kmph and travels up to 25 km per charge It empowers wheelchair users with a convenient safe and low-cost mode of outdoor mobility when compared to cars auto-rickshaws or modified scooters they saidNeoBolt is powered by a lithium-ion battery the researchers addedAccording to the team India currently imports 25 lakh of the total three lakh wheelchairs sold in the country annually Products with comparable features are available only in the global market and are three to five times more expensive than those developed by the IIT Madras researchersThe researchers collaborated extensively with organisations and hospitals working for people with locomotor disability and built the products after factoring in their experiences and making constant design adjustments the team saidWhile the wheelchair has been developed by the institutes Centre for Rehabilitation Research and Device Development it has been commercialised through a startup called Neo MotionSujatha Srinivasan from the Department of Mechanical Engineering IIT Madras said the wheelchair will be available to users at an approximate price of Rs 55000The motor-powered attachment NeoBolt converts the wheelchair into a safe road-worthy vehicle that can navigate any kind of terrain that we may normally encounter drive through unpaved streets or climb a steep gradient And do this comfortably as it has suspensions to absorb the shocks Srinivasan saidProducts with features comparable to NeoBolt are available only in the global market and are at least three to five times more expensive she added PTI GJS IJT
New Delhi Aug 23 PTI Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology IIT Madras claimed to have developed Indias first indigenous motorised wheelchair vehicle that can be used not only on roads but also on uneven terrainsCalled NeoBolt it has a maximum speed of 25 kmph and travels up to 25 km per charge It empowers wheelchair users with a convenient safe and low-cost mode of outdoor mobility when compared to cars auto-rickshaws or modified scooters they saidNeoBolt is powered by a lithium-ion battery the researchers addedAccording to the team India currently imports 25 lakh of the total three lakh wheelchairs sold in the country annually Products with comparable features are available only in the global market and are three to five times more expensive than those developed by the IIT Madras researchersThe researchers collaborated extensively with organisations and hospitals working for people with locomotor disability and built the products after factoring in their experiences and making constant design adjustments the team saidWhile the wheelchair has been developed by the institutes Centre for Rehabilitation Research and Device Development it has been commercialised through a startup called Neo MotionSujatha Srinivasan from the Department of Mechanical Engineering IIT Madras said the wheelchair will be available to users at an approximate price of Rs 55000The motor-powered attachment NeoBolt converts the wheelchair into a safe road-worthy vehicle that can navigate any kind of terrain that we may normally encounter drive through unpaved streets or climb a steep gradient And do this comfortably as it has suspensions to absorb the shocks Srinivasan saidProducts with features comparable to NeoBolt are available only in the global market and are at least three to five times more expensive she added PTI GJS IJT
