IIT Madras Introduces A Rs 15000 Standing Wheelchair

IIT Madras has partnered with Phoenix Medical Systems to develop a standing wheelchair enabling disabled people to change between sitting and standing positions independently. Standing wheelchairs are already available in India; however, their price tags are quite hefty.

This made-in-India standing wheelchair is called “Arise.” V Sashi, Phoenix Media Systems’ Managing Director, said that the price of the wheelchair will be Rs 15,000.

There are four sizes, from small to extra large. Customization can also be done to the wheelchair so that it can adjust to the body type of the user.

At the launch event of the wheelchair in Chennai, the Social Justice and Empowerment Minister, Thaawarchand Gehlot was present, along with IIT Madras’ faculty and students.

It was the IIT Madras’ TTK Center for Rehabilitation Research and Device Development that developed the wheelchair. The development was lead by the Mechanical Engineering Department’s Prof Sujatha Srinivasan.

Most of us don’t take into account the difficulties that people who need to wheelchairs have to face. Sitting for a long time continuously can result in health issues like poor blood circulation and pressure sores. For wheelchair users, they need a lot of assistance, help, and effort to get into a standing position. That is the reason why although they want and need to, they don’t stand as often.

With Arise, people can easily shift between a sitting position to a standing position.

However, while they are in a standing position, there will be no mobility. According to Srinivasa, the feature was left out since they prioritize safety. If a user wanted to stand and move while they are on a slope, instability may happen.

People who suffer from spinal cord injuries can also use the "Arise" wheelchair efficiently.

This is such a piece of good news for disabled people. An affordable standing wheelchair can make their life a bit easier.