One Touch At A Time - May 2009

Volume 1 Issue 4

1.June.2009

One Touch at a Time M

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In this project, the technology belongs to a third party. However, they have been facing issues in building this product to make it available to the users in volumes.

Brief Summary

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ADITI - Assistive Technology

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Know your Catalysts

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Seven Deadly Sins

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T e c h n o l o g y — P a r t

Last month, we had read about the exciting path that led Jude to the development of the solution to meet Pooja’s needs. This month, I am profiling another AT program that we are executing.

I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E :

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Now, MindTree’e product engineering capabilities are being utilized to make this possible. In the first stage, our system engineering, hardware design, testing and debugging capabilities have come in handy to independently build this product in our labs.

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tem partners for industrial design, volume manufacturing, packaging and delivery etc.

Many such technologies have been developed by premier institutes like IITs across the country. They need significant support to get them off the labs and make them available to the people on the streets.

If we can successfully execute the complete lifecycle for ADITI, we have the opportunity to bring out many more such products to the market in collaboration with these institutions.

… Raja Shanmugam

In Stage 2, we will leverage our eco sys-

M I N D T R E E

C a t a l y s t –

A few weeks ago, I had requested for Catalysts for Social connect activities in MindTree. At the end of a stupendous 10 day period, we had almost 280 people stepping forward. After detailed review of these responses, we identified 30+ Catalysts across 17 locations to help drive the first round of the program. These Catalysts come with a lot of prior experience in such activities and are extremely committed to

U P D A T E

this program. They are now in the process of identifying the right social connect activity in your respective locations. Once they are done, they will call for volunteers to be involved in these activities locally. We will profile a few of these catalysts in each of our coming issues. When they seek out volunteers in your location, do support them with enthusiastic response!!!... Raja

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A D I T I

Application: This product connects to the USB port of either PC or other devices and gets recognized as a Human Interface Device or Mouse. Each activation of the device is recognized as a ―Click‖ of a mouse button. It works well in conjunction with a software called HOPE, where the cursor block moves over a set of letters. When the device is activated as the cursor moves over the letter, it selects the letter. (We will ADITI—fully assembled and talk about HOPE in a later issue) ready for operation

Uniqueness of this product: It acts as a touch-less interface. This product recognizes if an object is brought closer to the antenna surface. It senses this and generates a click. This click can be generated either when the object comes closer or moves away. The distance at which the object can be sensed is also controllable. This mouse click is used to select various options on a corresponding platform which uses single click for selection.

Target Users: This product is useful for people with severe muscular and mobility limitations. Especially, many people affected by Cerebral Palsy have even their restricted to mobility limited some specific parts of their body – for example, head, feet, knees, etc. These people cannot operate even the Jelly Bean switches normally used by people with muscular disabilities to interact with computers. For example, in one case in Chennai, this is fixed to the headrest of a Wheel Chair – the girl activates the mouse a by moving her head…(Incidentally, she has completed B.Com and is doing her Chartered Accountancy course! How is that for overcoming adversity…)

Ownership of Technology: IIT Chennai (its Socially Relevant Product Scheme) + Chetana Trust (run by Prof Anil Prabhakar and his wife )

Market Relevance: The product can be made and sold @ less than INR 750/-. (US$ 15). This makes it one of the most affordable devices in this segment. Since there are practically NO MOVING COMPONENTS, this overcomes one of the most critical failure issues of the conventional and costly jelly bean switches – which break down quickly under rough treatment. Due to the form factor and touch-less characteristics, this can be fitted at different places/ angles on the wheel chairs, etc to provides convenient access to the client. Touch-less means no pressure needs to be applied on the switch – this could mean immense savings in energy and less fatigue.

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Till now, a few prototypes of this product has been assembled by the Lab technician at Prof. Anil’s labs. However, there is a very high requirement for this. An NGO in Chennai would like to source this product in 100’s of numbers. This is impossible for the lab to handle. MindTree is working with Prof. Anil to productize the solution and also enable volume production through its access to ecosystem partners.

Naveen K

Team: Ravindra Munvar, Bhushan Shripad Barve, Manjunath Chinnappa, SivaT Sankari

Current Status: The team has independently assembled an ADITI System and tested it. MindTree has integrated Aditi with HOPE system on an embedded Platform. This has also helped in cleaning up the Bill of Materials and schematics and making them current.

Interesting facts: When building the system, the team struggled to make the system work for quite a few days. While almost all the testing was fine as expected, the system was still not getting recognized by the PC as a USB device. It was finally found that the USB cable that the team used caused a voltage drop – which caused the mouse controller not to communicate properly with the PC. Once the cable was replaced by a better one, this was resolved. Prof Anil’s team had built an unique mounting arrangement—using common Electrical Conduits - the kind that your electrician fits at home. After repeated visits to various vendors, we were able to procure it. Using this conduit for mounting will be a challenge when we plan to build more units.

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Replace the obsolete Mouse Controller with an alternate, current, low cost mouse controller

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Re-design the system to reduce size and cost.

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Design a different type of enclosure which can be easily manufactured

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Build more prototypes and make it ready for manufacture.

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Set up production, sale, shipment process with a vendor for volume production

This Technology was first patented for use in a Musical Instrument!!!— when the musician waves his arms like a conductor, the device will play different tunes and tempos

Know your Catalysts Currently working with helping economically challenged children in Primary Education near Nagpur Mahesh Jajada

Pune

Why become a Catalyst? An individual should contribute to his society as a primary responsibility.

Currently working with an NGO called BAPS Abhishek Ballaney

Bangalore

Akshara -Pune. Wagoli Ashram donations, blood donation campaign plus an ECG check up camp, with the help of other Akshara volunteers.

Jharna Punjabi

Pune

Radhika Modur

Bangalore

Pankaj Agrawal

Pune

Why become a Catalyst? Engage with MindTree Foundation & spend some time on weekends utilizing my knowledge & skills.

Currently working on helping SPASTN to interact better with corporates

Why become a Catalyst? If my presence, words, time and efforts can help bring a smile on the faces of those less privileged than me, I would consider myself blessed.”

Why become a Catalyst? To create awareness in my Veeraraghavan surrounding about Arumugam differently abled people and their hardship/will power to lead their day-to-day life

Involved with SOCARE, an organization that provides education, shelter and basic needs to children of hard core convicts who are serving their term in prisons

I’m involved with iVolunteer organization. The organization is networked with NGOs that work towards social initiatives and activities.

Why become a Catalyst? Utilizing my other skills and effectively put to use in the field of education, especially targeting children

Why become a Catalyst? I was involved in social activities during college years. I am keenly interested in doing same activity through the Catalyst’s role .

Chennai

Harsh Umesh Kulkarni

Bangalore

Why become a Catalyst? 1. This will give an opportunity to work outside from our regular work. At times, I feel I should also be contributing towards the needy people. 2. Being a catalyst will help me in exploring new skills like leadership skills, team building skills etc. 3. I’ll have that feel good factor when I contribute for this cause.

Working with Akshara Trust which involves activities mainly to help the children with their primary education by giving them free notebooks, uniforms, mid day meals, second hand Computers. Hemnath Helping the salaries Sridharan for staffs of WARDS, a school of physically handicapped and mentally retarded Why become a children Catalyst? Would like to use Also, conducting acmy utmost efforts tivities for the school to help some one at children during Indeany cost to create a pendence Day, Repubwarmth smile on lic Day and Children's their face :-) Day.

Bangalore

Akshara -Pune. Wagoli Ashram donating Tshirts (money was launched by employees painting and decorating clay items and then bidding for them!). We also donated food and toys and books for the children.

Neville Postwalla

Pune

Why become a Catalyst? In this world, I am so fortunate and it pains me at times looking at persons who are so unfortunate. I'm sure I can make a difference to some persons life's.

Note 1: The activities reflect what these catalysts are currently involved in. The actual set of activities for which we will solicit volunteer participation may not be the same. Note 2 : This a partial list. We will publish the other names and profiles as and when we receive them from the catalysts.

S e v e n

D e a d l y S i n s – a c c o r d i n g M a h a t m a G a n d h i

Last week, I was asked to speak on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) at IIM– Bangalore. The audience was a group of Faculty Members of various Management Institutes, undergoing a training program on how to teach CSR to their students.

After 4 days of theoretical inputs, my session was to give them a real life implementation perspective. Also, in a way, it was to answer the question on the top of their minds ―Do all these principles really work?‖. Happy to say, the MindTree story made believers of almost every one of them!!! (At least this was what they said when they met me over tea after the session.)

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While researching for the session, I came across this gem of what Gandhi described as the Seven Deadly Sins:

Wealth without work Pleasure without conscience Knowledge without character Commerce without morality Science without humanity Religion without sacrifice Politics without principles Very relevant now, as it was 60 years ago. …..Raja

Seven Deadly Sins— Content courtesy—The Gandhian Way– Free Booklet distributed by Venkataraman Associates, Architects.