The Department of Science and Technology has taken several initiatives to support Divyangjan and Elderly and identified various challenges faced by them for finding technological solutions.
Various affordable assistive tools, technologies, and techniques, adaptable to the Indian milieu have been developed by different organisations supported under Science for Equity Empowerment and Development (SEED) Division of Department of Science and Technology (DST), Govt. of India for making health and care facilities and services inclusive and accessible for disabled and elderly promoting ease of living for them, particularly to mitigate the impact of COVID-19.
Hand-held spirometer obviates the necessity of disabled and elderly to visit doctor for lung function test
A hand-held device developed by Disha Institute of Management And Technology, Raipur, for conducting Pulmonary Function Test (PFT) on people suffering from respiratory diseases can help disabled and elderly people to record their own data on various stages of lung function easily to doctors for medication advice.
The device called spirometer, which is available for scale-up, can help the disabled and elderly diagnosed with chronic lung disorder to get treated without travelling to the doctor. It may be used periodically to check how well their medications are working and whether his/her breathing problems are under control. Condition of diseases like COVID-19, COPD, asthma, and so on can be ascertained and monitored remotely. The spirometry test with the proposed device provides various lung parameters which are required for estimation of the lung condition. With a graphical user interface (GUI) module with desktop/Laptop and printer, the device is lightweight, portable, cost-effective, and simple to operate.
Hand Sanitization Scrub for Divyangjan
An automatic hand sanitization scrub for divyangjan has been developed by the PSG Institute of Technology, Coimbatore. It automatically dispenses sanitizer liquid and scrubs it over the palm and fingers so that the complete hand is disinfected.
The hand sanitizer dispenser cum scrubber, now available for use in the market, is suitable to divyangjan under situations where hand basins or sinks may be physically inaccessible, or a person may have physical difficulty rubbing their hands together thoroughly like persons with physical disability, leprosy, intellectual disabilities and so on.
The automatic palm sanitizing machine is operated by the infrared system. As palm is inserted in the slot provided, the sensor gets activated, and the soft brush present in it starts rotating automatically and applies the sanitizer thoroughly without any effort by the person. This process is completed in just few seconds, and both the palms are well disinfected. The equipment is provided with wall mount and table mount provisions, where depending upon the site conditions, it can be placed at the place convenient to the users.
It has two soft-bristled rollers rotating inwards. In the front panel, two pairs of liquid mist dispensers are provided to spray the sanitizer. A counter bristle arrangement is provided to clean the dust particles stuck to the bristles in the rear side. A pair of UV lamps has been provided to disinfect the bristles before coming in contact with the hand to avoid person-to-person infection.
e-Tool to create awareness and impart health and hygiene
An e-Tool to create awareness and impart health and hygiene-related information along with education and entertainment has been developed by Rajalakshmi Engineering College, Chennai, to overcome loneliness of the persons with intellectual disabilities due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This will help the persons with intellectual disabilities to learn with fun through tabs and mobiles. The e-Tool can also be converted to other vernacular languages, and the Beta Version of the e-tool is used by 200 specially-abled children.
Wearable sensor device can remotely monitor the activities of Elderly & Divyangjan
A new wearable sensor device, developed by PSG Institute of Technology, Coimbatore, Agna, can remotely monitor the activities of Elderly and Divyangjan staying alone or those who happen to be under quarantine or isolation wards.
This device also predicts and detects fall and frailty levels in the Elderly and costs Rs.1500/- when produced in bulk.
Wearable rehabilitation band with real-time monitoring and feedback of recovery process developed for elderly with motor function disabilities
A wearable rehabilitation band with real-time monitoring and feedback of the recovery process through guided rehabilitation protocols has been developed for elderly with motor function disabilities. It has been developed by the PSG Institute of Technology, Coimbatore, Agna.
The device will help the elderly to get quantified outcomes regarding the improvement in muscle strength, muscle flexibility, and muscle endurance during the course of rehabilitation, without direct and physical interventions from doctors and physiotherapists.
An action plan has been initiated for large-scale production of these devices through the Technology Business Incubators of DST for deployment and further dissemination involving the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Government of India.
For further details, Please contact Dr. Konga Gopikrishna, Scientist-E, DST, Email: k[dot]gopikrishna[at]nic[dot]in, Ph: 011 26590298.
