IIT Madras launches first affordable, Made-In-India prosthetic knee called ‘Kadam’ Leave a comment
IIT Madras researchers have launched the country’s first Made-in-India polycentric prosthetic knee. Called ‘Kadam’, the affordable prosthetic knee can transform the lives of thousands of above-knee amputees through not just mobility with ease, but also increased community participation, access to education, livelihood opportunities and overall well-being.
WHO CREATED THE PROSTHETIC KNEE?
It was developed by a team at TTK Center for Rehabilitation Research and Device Development (R2D2) at IIT Madras, which also developed and commercialized ‘Arise,’ the country’s first standing wheelchair and NeoFly-NeoBolt, an active wheelchair and motorized add-on for seamless indoor-outdoor mobility.
The WHO states that only 1 in 10 people in need, have access to assistive technology and they are not available in adequate numbers and at affordable prices.
R2D2 headed by Prof. Sujatha Srinivasan has been working to fill that gap.
R2D2 is involved in research related to human movement, and the design and development of rehabilitation and assistive devices for people with movement impairments.
The R2D2 centre engineers user-centric affordable products for rehabilitation needs in India and beyond, works with clinical specialists, NGOs, and hospitals, among others, to field-test the designs, and fosters a research environment to evaluate assistive device designs from biomechanical and functional standpoints.
The polycentric knee has been developed in association with Society for Biomedical Technology (SBMT) and Mobility India.
SBMT, which supported the development, was established under DRDO by former President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam to enable indigenous medical device development.
Mobility India, an NGO in Bengaluru, will mass manufacture and take Kadam to the market along with overseeing the processes of fitment and training and ensuring easy access for the users.
FEATURES OF THE PROSTHETIC KNEE
The unique aspects of Kadam include:
- Suitable for short/long residual limbs after transfemoral (above-knee) amputation
- Polycentric 4-bar knee joint provides the user better control of flexion-extension
- Made of high strength materials: aluminium alloy – Al 6061 T6, stainless steel-SS 304
- Customizable stability adjustment depending on the user’s need
- Frictional swing control adjustment for different walking speeds
- Patented 4-bar geometry (Indian Patent No. 338006) provides stability even on uneven terrain, and improved ground clearance
- Provides maximum knee flexion of 160 degrees or more (range limited by socket)
- Multi-centric user testing conducted with users walking on different surfaces and steep slopes
- ISO 10328 Compliant for Proof strength, Ultimate Strength, Fatigue Strength for P4 condition (80 kg user weight)
WHAT MAKES KADAM BETTER THAN OTHERS?
Kadam has advantages over a hinge joint because of the multiple axes of rotation, which provide the user greater control over the prosthesis while walking and maximum knee flexion of 160 degrees to make it easy to sit in cramped spaces like buses and autos.
It is designed for durability with high strength stainless steel and aluminium alloy along with hard chrome plated EN8 pins and high fatigue life polymer bushings.
Indigenously developed Kadam is affordable and at the same time, of high quality and performance, complying with ISO 10328 standards including 30 lakh cycles of fatigue testing.
It provides stability, reduces the risk of stumbling and its patented geometry is specifically optimized for use on uneven terrains.
Through Mobility India, extensive clinical trials have been conducted in various geographical settings urban, periurban and rural, the feedback from which have ensured that the design is user-centric and functional in different environments.
Users instantly recognize the stable nature of the knee. The ability of the user to let go of the safety of parallel bars in the very first trial is a testimony to the performance of the knee.
WORD ON THE PROSTHETIC KNEE
“What bridges the world of a differently-abled person with that of others is technology,” said Thiru Johny Tom Varghese IAS, State Commissioner for Persons with Disability, Government of Tamil Nadu, at the launch.
“It is phenomenal to see how technology can usher in inclusion in all walks of life,” he added.
Prof. V Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, said, “The need for technology to meet health and medicine is crucial for a healthy future.”
Prof. Sujatha Srinivasan, Head, R2DR, said, “Functional needs, socioeconomic and environmental challenges of Indian users are unique. Kadam’s user-centric design takes these into account. It meets international quality standards while being 4-5 times more affordable than comparable imported knees.”
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