Taking smartphones to wheelchairs (video)

A young Bangladeshi engineer has invented the 'Smart Wheel Chair' to help physically challenged people operate their wheel chairs through any android smartphone.

Tarun Debnath, a fourth year student of Information and Communication Engineering (ICE) department of Pabna University of Science and Technology, invented the chair which can be operated without taking help from others.

"The android controlled Smart Wheel Chair is designed for disabled or paralysed people. It can be easily controlled by any android mobile phone. The smart chair is designed and developed keeping in mind the low cost for the people of Bangladesh." Tarun Debnath, told the Daily Star.

 The Smart Wheel Chair is run by a battery engine which is controlled by an Android or smartphone making contact with an electronic device set into the chair. Physically challenged people can operate the chair himself using his phone without taking help from others.

The chair can provide primary health check-ups; if heartbeat and blood pressure of the patient goes beyond normal levels, it will send notifications to the connected smartphones.

"Biometrics features inform family members of condition of illness of the patient," Tarun said.

 If the user face any physical crisis, other family members would be informed through emergency notifications as the circuit of the chair would be contacted with other family members through GSM.

The cost of the smart chair is primarily fixed at Tk 70,000. The inventor says commercial production of the chair may reduce the cost to Tk 30,000.

The device invented by the young Bangladeshi has received international recognition, achieving first prize in the "International Engineering Invention Summit-2015" held in Dhaka on June 11.

Md. Anwar Hossain, the chairman of ICE said Tarun submitted a project plan of the digital chair which would be run by Android phones in earlier this year as part of his final year study.

The Smart Chair would be easily completed at costs of around Tk 30,000 in commercial production, Professor Anwar said, adding that such kind of digital chairs in the developed countries cost around Tk 3 to 5 lakh.

 Tarun has more plans for his project. "I am now working to develop the chair more," Tarun said seeking government support to run his project.

"There are over 20 lakh disabled people in Bangladesh needing the help of others to move about. If we are able to arrange such Smart Chairs for the physically challenged people, they can move about on their own" Joynal Abedin, a teacher of PUST ICE department said.

The Government should fund for more research for the Smart Chair project so that the PUST technicians can develop smart technologies for the sake of the physically challenged people, he said.