Ritika Pandey
Inspired by the world-famous theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking, two entrepreneurs from Kerala set up Desintox Technologies for lending a hand to differently-abled Indians for leading a normal life. The Thrissur-based startup founded by a 24-year-aged Don Paul and Sooraj Chandran to “enable differently-abled people to lead a better and self-sustaining life”. While their friends Vishnu KS and Rueben Regi became a part of the founding team, they stopped continuing after the six months of foundation.
While pursuing their B-Tech from the Government Engineering College in Thrissur, both developed a walking device for children affected by cerebral palsy as a part of their college project. “We gifted the device to help a child in Thrissur. I can never forget the tears in the mother’s eyes when she saw her child stand for the first time using our device,” claimed Don. After completing the graduation, Don followed his parents’ instructions and began to prepare for civil services. Sooraj, on the other hand, started to function as a design engineer at ‘Crabwrist’ Technologies.
Once while a friend experienced an accident that the duo realised the need to support machines for paraplegic patients. Desintox Technologies, founded in May 2017, was incubated in Kochi’s Maker Village in July, 2017. To continue towards their college project, the founders developed a similar cerebral palsy walking device, called the ‘EasyMover’.The duo further donated four units to Alpha Palliative Care, a government hospital in the town. Presently, the company states five members.
Desintox Technologies presently has four products EasyMover, Hoist, Smartmotive, and electric wheelchair. The Hoist, costs at Rs 75,000 and Rs 88,000, is a patient transfer device connecting a controller and safety switch. “It is mostly used to transfer the patient to and from a bed, chair and even toilets,” states Don. The Smartmotive, ranges between Rs 75,000 and Rs 1.3 lakhs and mentions to be a standing wheelchair that forwards towards a patient with physiotherapy without having to leave the wheelchair. “It helps the paraplegic patient to stand, providing the benefits of a wheelchair and a tilting table at home,” claims Don. The device is specifically designed for a patient to stand and have an access to it without help.
The electric wheelchair comes with a battery and lends a hand towards a paraplegic patients travel by themselves for up to 20 km on a single charge. It has an adjustable joystick switch with multiple functional options, and a reclining and stretch adjusting facility. “The wheelchair comes with manual and electric movement facilities and a lying down feature, which is optional, and can be customized,” stated Don. Further, the motors are imported from Hong Kong, Japan, and Germany, the mechanical frame of the devices are fabricated in Thrissur in the city stating it proper and functioning. “We have an assembling facility in Thrissur,” he further claimed and reported. The basic wheelchair priced Rs 68,000, and the electric standing wheelchair is priced at Rs 1.85 lakh. The EasyMover further costs Rs 14,990.
