The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : With love from EME Corps With love from EME Corps

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Apr 28, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

With love from EME Corps With love from EME Corps

Dennis Marcus Mathew

"It's a four-wheel drive with a controller keyboard that enables forward and reverse motion, speed variation, steering by joystick and even a horn."

A boon for disabled Engineering graduates of the MCEME with their new invention. PHOTO: P.V. SIVAKUMAR

HYDERABAD: A young and spirited group of Indian Army engineers have come out with a motorised wheelchair, which, according to them, costs Rs. 4 lakhs less than similar models in the Indian market.

Student officers -- Manish Gulia, Rahul Gupta, Harsh Srivastava and Manoj Jamwal of the Military College of Electronics and Mechanical Engineering's 77th batch had last year stumbled upon an old project file during their quest for an annual project. The file told them the story of the 74th batch's attempt at an automated wheelchair, which, however, had several limitations.

The quartet, determined to better the effort, set out on `Operation Wheelchair'. The result was the motorised Wheelchair Mark II, which can negotiate small steps and climb a gradient up to 15 degrees. The project, supervised by the Lieutenant Colonel, Atul Apte, took six months.

"It's a four-wheel drive with a controller keyboard that enables forward and reverse motion, speed variation, steering by joystick and even a horn.

It's very useful for soldiers who have lost their limbs and for other disabled and is immensely useful in hospitals. Our faculty is in touch with other Defence organisations for its mass production," says Maj. Gulia.

Braking system

"The braking system enables to halt it midway on a steep slope. It is sufficiently powered to continue from that position without slipping backwards. Maintenance-free rechargeable batteries lasting over 10 km are used," Maj. Gupta says.

The maximum speed is 7 km per hour with four-speed variations while modifications, including folding tables, are being planned. Maj. Srivastava and Maj. Jamwal say a similar gadget will cost Rs. 5 lakhs in the market, as there is no Indian company manufacturing automated wheelchairs. Since the two servo machines and other components are indigenous, the cost is restricted to Rs.1.25 lakhs.

"With love, from the EME Corps," they add in unison.

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