Alimco Develops Electronic Hand and Motorised Wheelchair

In its endeavour to provide low cost motorised mobility aids to the physically challenged, the Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India (Alimco) has developed a new electronic hand and motorised wheelchair. This is welcome in a scenario where most of the mobility aids produced at present are hand-propelled. According to Alimco authorities, the manual aids are required to be motorised with the help of suitable electronic systems.

Chief managing director of Alimco, Brigadier Jagmohan Uppal said the corporation had been able to develop a prototype motor-driven wheelchair and also take up a joint venture for fitment of motors along with batteries on the modified version of institutional model of wheelchairs. Further upgradation in technology is being planned in collaboration with the US and engineers from IIT, Guwahati whose students were undergoing summer training at Alimco.

Eight newly developed electric hand have been made and mass production is in the pipeline. Alimco has started the trial of an electric hand based on an electronic circuit designed in collaboration with the IIT, Kanpur. Alimco has also designed a handy walking stick and a light-weight folding wheelchair for the physically challenged persons.

Alimco is all set to go for expansion of its manufacturing base by setting up four new auxiliary production centres and one model production at Ujjain.

Source:New hope for the disabled, Times of India, 10 December 2002, Kanpur