KOCHI: As a state with more than seven lakh differently abled people, it is high time Kerala leveraged technology and community participation to create an ecosystem catering to their needs. And that is precisely what the STRIDE (Social Technology and Research for Inclusive Design Excellence) project aims to do.
As part of the programme designed by the Kerala Development and Innovation Strategic Council (K-DISC), STRIDE Innovation Centres will be set up at engineering colleges under APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University (KTU) and other universities. Another feature will be the setting up of a first-of-its-kind Makerspaces at select BUDS schools operated by Kudumbashree and the local self-government department (LSGD).
“The plan is to create India’s first inclusive innovation ecosystem, and specifically, assistive/adaptive technology in 2026,” Robin Tommy, executive director of K-DISC’s Social Enterprises and Inclusion (SEI), tells TNIE.
“The project aims to make Kerala a hub for social innovation, with a strong emphasis on community-driven solutions.”
Launched in November 2024 on an experimental basis, the project will have four arms -- STRIDE Innovation Centres, STRIDE Makerspaces, STRIDE Hub, and STRIDE Network.
“The initiative envisions to make these neurodivergent individuals self-sufficient. They don’t need our empathy or sympathy. What they need is a way to earn a livelihood once they turn 18. They need hand-holding,” he says.
Explaining more about STRIDE, Robin says, “At the innovation centres, the students will be encouraged to come up with designs that help improve the lives of their special needs brethren.” He stresses the innovation happening at these centres will be human-centric. K-DISC had conducted a Designathon, where more than 300 teams from colleges across the country presented their ideas. These ideas were arrived at through interactions with the differently abled persons, he says.
“For example, some of the ideas that came up at the Designathon included things like a specially designed pencil. It can be seen that the differently abled find it difficult to hold normal pencils. This, in turn, affects their writing capability and hence their education. Then there is the issue of hygiene, especially menstrual hygiene. The Designathon threw up solutions for that too,” Robin points out.
The designs will be converted into products at the Makerspaces at select BUDS schools (there are 330+ BUDS schools in the state run by Kudumbashree in association with LSGD).
“For this, the Makerspaces will be equipped with 3D-printers and other manufacturing equipment necessary. STRIDE works on the lines of community building or creating for the community. So, throughout the process, right from helping to design devices to packaging, the neurodivergent community will be involved,” Robin says. The plan is to develop 1,000 devices for neurodivergents, he adds. The STRIDE project is being implemented in association with Kudumbashree, Kerala Startup Mission, IEEE, KTU, and the LSGD.
innovation centres
As part of the programme designed by K-DISC, STRIDE Innovation Centres will be set up at engg colleges under KTU and other universities
Another feature will be the setting up of a first-of-its-kind Makerspaces at select BUDS schools operated by Kudumbashree and the LSGD