IIT Madras launches India's lightest active wheelchair
Across the world, the wheelchair is too often seen as a universal symbol of disability - something that confines or restricts its user. This narrative must change. A wheelchair, when built right, is not a burden but an enabler of independence, mobility, and full participation in society.Yet for millions, the reality remains grim: most still rely on heavy, poorly fitted hospital-style wheelchairs designed for short-term indoor use. These chairs make it hard to move freely and force people to be pushed around by others - limiting comfort, freedom, and dignity.YD One transforms this reality. Built with precision-engineered geometry and aerospace-grade materials, it delivers the kind of high-performance, ultra-light mobility once only possible through expensive imports - but at a fraction of the cost. Minimalistic, stylish, and fully customised, YD One is not something users are bound to - it's something they are proud to own, a device that expands their world rather than shrinking it.
Addressing the launch event, Surgeon Vice Admiral Anupam Kapur, Nau Sena Medal, Director General Hospital Services (Armed Forces), said, "In IIT Madras, the innovations and the products that are coming are coming with a heart. They are for with everyday usage and are for people who need it the most. Let me assure you that your work does not need to stay in a lab or at a prototype stage. It has to come into the real world. The Armed Forces have just been sanctioned a Centre for Advanced Research by the ICMR. They are going to be collaborating with IIT Madras and other start-ups to do the final medical validation, practical usage and the safety certification of all the innovative products that are coming out of this ecosystem."advertisementDelivering an addressing on 'Enabling Independence,' Surgeon Vice Admiral Anupam Kapur added, "Today, True independence means inclusion, dignity and self-reliance for each and every citizen of this country, regardless of their background, ability and circumstances. WHO has given a figure where they say that almost 15% of the global population suffers from some form of disability. In absolute numbers, this amounts to almost 1.3 to 1.9 billion and this number is going up. It is estimated that by 2058, this will be 2.5 billion, which is a huge number."Further, Surgeon Vice Admiral Anupam Kapur said, "As we get close to 100 years post-independence, We need to reflect on a deeper and a more evolving meaning of Independence for us. Independence is not merely personal, it is social, economic and technological. It is the freedom of a visually-impaired student to navigate a campus independently. Its the independence of a stroke survivor to communicate with his or her loved ones. It is the right of a rural women to access digital health. And it is the power of a veteran amputee to walk unassisted, if possible. In the armed forces, we see this pursuit of independence not in theory but we see it happening in true cases every day."advertisementCongratulating the team behind YD One, Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, said, "An inclusive society is fundamental for the prosperity of our country and technology should play a crucial role in ensuring the same. This is yet another demonstration of IIT Madras' commitment to this goal."Highlighting the vision behind this product, Prof. Sujatha Srinivasan, Head, TTK Center for Rehabilitation Research and Device Development, IIT Madras, who pioneered this project, said, "10 years ago, when R2D2 was established, we set out to change the assistive device landscape in India through world-class products to meet Indian needs primarily. We have realised that our products are well-designed and provide unique advantages in global markets as well, and we are proud to work with our passionate startups (first NeoMotion, now Thryv Mobility) to provide affordable choices and freedom to wheelchair users everywhere with YD One and more products to come."To bring YD One to market, the research team partnered with Thryv Mobility, an IIT Madras-incubated startup that will manufacture the wheelchairs locally to global benchmarks, ensuring each chair is truly bespoke and affordable to users in India and emerging markets. advertisementIndustry Partner Dr. Rejin John Varghese, Co-Founder and Head, Research and Development, Thryv Mobility, said, "Together with IIT Madras, we aim to ensure these wheelchairs are manufactured indigenously to global standards and offered at a price point that makes high-performance mobility accessible to those who need it the most."Adding to this, Project Coordinator Dr. Manish Anand, Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Madras, said, "YD One marks a new milestone in our journey to address the need for world-class mobility solutions at affordable price points for the Indian and global markets. It emerged as a need from the users and was co-designed with inputs from users, caregivers and clinical professionals at every stage."YD One's launch is supported by Trimble CSR initiative, which is providing the first 20 wheelchairs to deserving users, while RRD and Schueco India have stepped forward to support future provisioning - helping ensure that high-quality, active mobility becomes an everyday reality for those who need it the most. - Ends
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