IIT Delhi's NCAHT launches assistive technology products for visually impaired

NEW DELHI: The National Center for Assistive Health Technologies (NCAHT) at Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (IIT Delhi), supported by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), has launched several assistive technology products for visually impaired individuals. Rajiv Bahl, director general of ICMR, unveiled these products alongside Rangan Banerjee, director of IIT Delhi.

Rajiv Bahl, director general of ICMR, highlighted the necessity of creating indigenous assistive technology solutions to address unmet needs in this sector while launching the products. Rangan Banerjee, director of IIT Delhi, stressed the importance of cultivating students as ambassadors of social innovation by involving them in cutting-edge research and development activities.

Assistive technology innovations by NCAHT at IIT Delhi

The newly launched assistive technology innovations by NCAHT at IIT Delhi include Shapescapes (a geometry learning kit), high-quality white canes, and an accessible kit for STEM education. Additionally, NCAHT announced the commencement of large-scale user trials for SmartCane Version 2 and a refreshable braille display. Developed in collaboration with Saksham Trust, New Delhi, these innovations aim to enhance independent mobility and educational opportunities for visually impaired individuals.

Shapescape

Shapescape is a geometry learning kit designed to address the difficulties visually impaired students encounter when learning geometry. NCAHT has developed a kit that students can use in a DIY (do it yourself) fashion. This affordable assistive tool adheres to universal design principles, making it accessible for sighted, low-vision, and visually impaired students alike.

Accessible Kit for STEM education

This kit is designed to help visually impaired students grasp electronics concepts such as logic gates, electronic components, and circuits. It enables students to learn the basics through inclusive models featuring embossed symbolic representations alongside real components. The kit also comes with a self-learning book that explains concepts through tactile diagrams, large print, and Braille. Both the kit and the book will be produced by Raised Lines Foundation, a non-profit social enterprise affiliated with IIT Delhi.

High-quality white canes

The white cane is an essential tool for visually impaired individuals, aiding in independent and safe mobility. It is included in the National List of Essential Assistive Products (NLEAP). Kenstel Communications Private Ltd, in partnership with IIT Delhi, has developed a high-quality white cane that meets international standards and addresses significant issues found in domestically produced canes, fulfilling a long-standing need.

SmartCane version 2

IIT Delhi, in collaboration with Phoenix Medical Systems, Chennai, and Saksham Trust, and funded by the Wellcome Trust, developed SmartCane, an electronic travel aid currently used by about 150,000 people in India and abroad. SmartCane Version 2 is an enhanced iteration of the original product, offering improved usability and user experience while addressing additional user pain points and obsolescence. This product, included in the National List of Essential Assistive Products (NLEAP), has undergone several design-build-test-modify cycles and is now in the phase of large-scale user validation trials.

Refreshable braille display

The assistech lab at IIT Delhi, in partnership with Phoenix Medical Systems and Saksham Trust, has created Tacread, an innovative refreshable Braille technology. This device allows visually impaired users to read digital text in Braille format. For instance, visually impaired individuals can access any book in Braille format from Sugmya Pustakalaya, India’s largest repository of accessible books. Large-scale user validation trials for the current affordable version of the Braille reader are now underway.