India, home to 20% of the world's visually impaired population, has a 1% Braille literacy rate. Researchers from IIT-K have developed an innovative assistive technology to improve Braille literacy among the visually impaired and blind community. The technology also includes a novel lung health monitoring system.

Siddhartha Panda and Vishwaraj Srivastava developed a Braille learning device at NCFlexE, IIT-K, featuring a single, touch-sensitive array and a single refreshable cell-based system, aiming to aid beginners in mastering Braille.

“Researchers worldwide have diligently worked towards reducing the cost of Braille devices, including exploring single-cell Braille solutions; however, such attempts have presented numerous challenges. We have tried to address those challenges in this device. Once patented and ready for commercial use, it would expectedly be a very affordable alternative,” Panda said.

In essence, the creation from IIT Kanpur transforms electronic text into readable Braille characters through touch. Unlike most devices on the market that rely on multiple Braille cells for their functionality, this innovative solution seamlessly combines a single Braille cell with a state-of-the-art touch array. This integration allows the device to provide functionality equivalent to multi-cell counterparts, all while significantly reducing costs. The device is purpose-built to educate users in the fundamentals of Braille, encompassing basic characters, words, and sentences.

A continuous monitoring system for lung health has been developed in collaboration between IIT Kanpur, IIT Kharagpur, and the International Institute of Information Technology Naya Raipur, with financial support from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.

This cost-effective, space-efficient system serves as a valuable tool for healthcare teams in monitoring patients' lung health. It comprises an acoustic mask equipped with highly sensitive sound sensors and an intelligent corded device designed to detect the typically inaudible breathing sounds from the user's mouth and nose. The corded device within the mask includes a Wi-Fi module for real-time sharing of lung health status with healthcare providers. Furthermore, the device boasts a robust battery for continuous monitoring, a local storage unit to retain processed audio data for long-term analysis, and a processing unit complete with built-in memory and a microprocessor.