Inclusive by design How tech is reshaping accessibility

From smart wheelchairs to Al Braille, India's tech institutes are building a no-code future for assistive tech. With intelligent design, wearable IoT, and deep learning, they're scripting a new chapter in accessibility, code not required

- Ashok Pandey

India's top technological institutes are not just designing products, they're reshaping the way disability inclusion and assistive technology are imagined, developed, and deployed. The No-Code revolution is no longer just about app development; it's about enabling millions through intelligent, inclusive systems designed for diverse needs. From Al-triggered job portals to sensor-driven voice commands, the IIT ecosystem is writing a new digital accessibility playbook.

A Distributed Network with Specialized Missions

Launched in June 2023, the National Centres of Assistive Health Technologies (NCAHT) operate across IIT Madras, IIT Delhi, AIIMS Delhi, and the National Institute of Speech and Hearing (NISH). These centers are thematic, each focusing on specific disabilities and functioning as collaborative experience zones.

• IIT Madras leads in locomotor disability, blending research with empathy. Its TTK Center for R2D2 has successfully commercialized five assistive devices, including the Saathi exoskeletal walker for cerebral palsy. Its ARC lab tackles systemic academic bias via the Disability and Discipline initiative and introduces sound-based science learning.

• IIT Delhi, the epicenter for visual impairment technologies, has developed SmartCane (used by over 150,000 globally), Tacread (a low-cost refreshable Braille display), and inclusive STEM kits. The emphasis here is both scale and user validation.

• IIT Kanpur targets learning disabilities with its award-winning AACDD app for Hindi-speaking children and wearable haptic smartwatches for the visually impaired.

• IIT Bombay addresses the aging population with neuro-degenerative assistive solutions, such as fall detectors and hand tremor control gloves.