MAKING LIFE EASIER: The remote-controlled stretcher developed by students of Mary Matha Engineering College in Thiruvananthapuram. — Photo: S. Gopakumar

Thiruvananthapuram: Visitors to a hospital are familiar with the sight of uniformed employees struggling to manoeuvre a rickety, creaking contraption that passes for a stretcher. In badly-maintained Government hospitals, the stretcher is often the most neglected piece of equipment.

Marked by peeling paint and wobbly wheels and squealing like an animal in distress, the stretchers in most hospitals are subjected to rough useas they pass from one set of hands to another. Now, a group of final year students of the Mary Matha Engineering College at Neyyattinkara has developed a state-of-the-art stretcher that can be remote-controlled using wireless equipment. The slick invention that was unveiled here on Saturday can also be converted into a wheelchair by turning a hand wheel to fold up the backrest.

Aided by laboratory instructor S. Syamkumar, the students Vinoba Prasannan, M. Anoop, R. Ratheesh and S. Binsu developed the stretcher as part of their final year project for the electrical engineering course. With a load capacity of 100 kg, the equipment works on two 12-volt batteries that can be charged from a 230-volt household power socket or a solar panel. Using a wireless remote, it can be controlled from a distance of 50 metres.

The stretcher is built on a chassis made of steel pipes. The chassis is mounted on a set of castor wheels that together support a weight of 800 kg. A metal framework supports the cushioned bed for the patient.

For three hours

When fully charged, the stretcher works three hours. "In the absence of a hospital employee, a patient or his relative can easily operate the vehicle. Hospital attenders can also use the remote control to summon an empty stretcher," the students say. Converted into a wheelchair, it can be controlled using a lever on the armrest that works as a joystick. "By mounting a solar panel as sun roof, it can be used by handicapped persons to move around the house or neighbourhood," says Mr. Syam.

The prototype was built at a cost of Rs.15,000. All the parts were sourced from the open market to minimise cost. "We have provided a cost-effective alternative to imported wheelchairs that cost upwards of Rs.1 lakh," Mr. Syam said. The team claims that the cost can be further brought down by using a wired system to control movement

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