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Innovation For Good! IIT Madras Launches India's First Indigenously Developed Polycentric Prosthetic Knee
Writer: Tashafi Nazir (Digital Journalist)
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India, 9 April 2022 7:29 AM GMT
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Creatives : Tashafi Nazir
For most people, journalism sounds hectic and chaotic. For her, it's a passion she has been chasing for years. With an extensive media background, Tashafi believes in putting efforts on presenting a simple incident in the most interesting way.
Known as 'Kadam', the 'Made in India' product makes it possible for above-knee amputees to walk with a comfortable gait. It provides stability, reduces the risk of stumbling, and its patented geometry is specifically optimised for use on uneven terrains.
Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras launched India's first indigenously developed Polycentric Prosthetic Knee, aiming to improve the quality of life for thousands of above-knee amputees.
Known as 'Kadam', the 'Made in India' product makes it possible for above-knee amputees to walk with a comfortable gait. Besides mobility, it also aims to improve users' quality of life through increased community participation, livelihood opportunities, access to education and overall well-being.
According to the IIT Madras press release, the product was developed by a team at TTK Center for Rehabilitation Research and Device Development (R2D2) at IIT-M, in association with the Society for Biomedical Technology (SBMT) and Mobility India.
Suitable For Cramped Spaces
Kadam has advantages over a hinge joint due to its multiple axes of rotation, which provides the user greater control over the prosthesis while walking and maximum knee flexion of 160 degrees to make it effortless to sit in cramped spaces like autos and buses. It is designed for durability with high-strength aluminium alloy and stainless steel, hard chrome plated EN8 pins and high fatigue life polymer bushings.
It is affordable and of high quality and performance, complying with ISO standards, including 30 lakh cycles of fatigue testing. In addition, it provides stability, reduces the risk of stumbling and its patented geometry is specifically optimised for use on uneven terrains.
Addressing the launch event virtually, Thiru. Johny Tom Varghese, IAS, State Commissioner for Persons with Disability, Government of Tamil Nadu, stated, "What bridges the world of a differently-abled person with that of other people is technology. It is amazing to see how technology can usher inclusion in all walks of life. Kadam is one such product, along with other similar path-breaking innovations that came out of R2D2 IIT Madras, making technology accessible and affordable."
Congratulating the researchers, Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, said, "The need for technology to meet medicine and health is essential for a healthy future. Kadam is yet another example to justify this need."
He said that he is delighted that the efforts of IIT Madras are translating into products that could be of benefit to humanity.
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