It is priced affordably to reach the masses and aims to improve the overall quality of life of users, making them an integral part of society and empowering them to face the daily challenges in life
Chennai: Indian Institute of Technology Madras researchers have launched India’s first indigenously developed Polycentric Prosthetic Knee. The innovation is aimed to improve the quality of life for thousands of above-knee amputees.
Called ‘Kadam,’ this ‘Made in India’ product is a polycentric knee for Above Knee Prosthesis developed in association with Society for Biomedical Technology (SBMT) and Mobility India.
Kadam makes it possible for above-knee amputees to walk with a comfortable gait. Not just mobility, it also aims to improve the quality of life of users through increased community participation, access to education, livelihood opportunities and overall well-being.
It was developed by a team at TTK Center for Rehabilitation Research and Device Development (R2D2) at IIT Madras.
Kadam has advantages over a hinge joint because of the multiple axes of rotation, which provide the user greater control over the prosthesis while walking and maximum knee flexion of 160 degrees to make it easy to sit in cramped spaces like buses and autos. It is designed for durability with high strength stainless steel and aluminium alloy along with hard chrome plated EN8 pins and high fatigue life polymer bushings.
Indigenously developed Kadam is affordable and at the same time, of high quality and performance, complying with ISO 10328 standards including 30 lakh cycles of fatigue testing. It provides stability, reduces the risk of stumbling and its patented geometry is specifically optimized for use on uneven terrains.
