Webel unit to make goods for the challenged

Kolkata-based Webel Mediatronics Ltd (WML) "� a subsidiary of West Bengal Electronic Industry Development Corporation Limited (WBEIDC), is planning to start manufacturing and designing motorized wheelchair and digital hearing aid by December this year. This is in sync with WML's plans to establish itself as the manufacturer as well as a software developer for its projects.

The motorised wheelchair and digital hearing aid are being designed under Transfer of Technology (TOT), C-DAC, Tiruvananthapuram.

Post December, these would be available under the 'Webel Mediatronics' brand with a creditline to CDAC.

These would be manufactured at its plant in BonHooghly.

Speaking to Business Standard, Gautam Burman, CEO of Webel Mediatronics, said, "At present we have made a prototype of the motorised wheelchair which is in the test launch phase at the National Institute for the Orthopaedically Handicapped, Bonhooghly. We are trying to improve on the prototype before rolling it out in bulk. We would be able to take a call on the dealer and distribution chain only in December. The pricing strategy would also be decided then in consultation with doctors."

WML is also in talks with the Institute of Cerebral Palsy to understand the need for developing systems for the mentally challenged.

WML has also taken up the project of manufacturing body-owned digital hearing aid under TOT, CDAC, Tiruvananthapuram, which is also in the test launch phase right now. Both the digital hearing aid and the motorised wheelchair are expected to be available at a lesser price than their imported counterparts so as to cater to the greater mass of the society.

WML also plans to take up medical projects under Medical Electronics and the first project would be 'Syringe Pump' in collaboration with the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi. This would be used to inject I-V fluid for treatment of patients.

WML also plans to design a system which would enable instantaneous conversion of speech to sign language for the hearing impaired and from sign language to speech in real time.

So far, WML has developed a computerized Braille Transcription System in Indian languages, electronic Tactile Reader, Automatic Braille Embosser and audio supported Braille Keyboard. This system has been successfully implemented at a number of blind schools in the country and addresses the requirements of Braille education of visually impaired persons in vernacular languages.