CHENNAI: Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras (IIT-M) on Friday launched India's first polycentric prosthetic knee. Named 'Kadam', the indigenously developed prosthetic knee aims to improve the quality of life of above-knee amputees.
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, an IIT-M statement said.
Kadam will help above-knee amputees to walk with a comfortable gait, provides stability reduces risk of stumbling.
It has advantages over a hinge-joint because of the multiple axes of rotation, which offers greater control over the prosthesis while walking, and offers maximum knee flexion of 160 degrees. This makes it easier for amputees to sit in cramped spaces.
Speaking at the event, Johny Tom Varghese IAS, TN Commissioner for Persons with Disability, said, "It's phenomenal to see technology usher in inclusion."