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In 2018, 24-year-old Rishi Krishna was actively involved in social work in his hometown of Chennai. After graduating with a BSc degree in Design and Visual Communication, he had taken to volunteering after a brief stint in filmmaking. He was getting back home from one of his volunteering trips when the unthinkable happened - the bus he was on collided with another vehicle, leaving Rishi with a completely crushed right arm.
“Due to the impact of the collision, my right arm, from the elbow down, was damaged beyond repair. Doctors came to the conclusion that they cannot save my arm and that they needed to proceed with an amputation. When I woke up in the hospital, I did not have my right arm. This shook me to the core.” - Rishi Krishna
Despite the setback, Rishi decided to opt for a prosthetic arm to get his life back on track. But the options available in the market did not impress him at all. “Most of them were heavy and very uncomfortable to use. Added to these was the fact that they were exorbitantly priced at INR 40 - 50 lakhs. That’s when my friends and I got thinking - what if there was a way in which we could make the lives of those missing limbs better with the use of technology?” recalls Rishi.
That's when they thought of 3D printing an artificial limb that would ‘check all the boxes’. What started as a home project along with his best friend, Niranjan Kumar R, an engineer, is now a start-up called Symbonic that makes affordable prosthetics for disabled people.
“We started Symbionic in 2019 to challenge the status quo and revolutionise the prosthetics industry. Symbionic has developed high-end, cost-effective assistive technology, with a vision to build an inclusive world. Team Symbionic has created an affordable and intuitive bionic prosthetic – that we have dubbed the Titan arm.” - Rishi Krishna
The Titan arm incorporates advanced features like ‘individual finger movement’, ‘rotating wrist’, and ‘opposable thumb’, all of which is encompassed within its lightweight design and a revolutionary sensor system that lets users control the device like it’s an extension of themselves.
“The Titan arm also comes with a futuristic app that allows users to interact with the device, troubleshoot any issues they face and design custom grips that they would like to have. Now, they too can feel included in rock concerts.” - Rishi Krishna
The Titan arm is currently in the clinical trials phase – and will be deployed free of cost to ‘10 Titan Heroes’, including Rishi, who have not let challenges stop them in their quest for excellence in life. Symbiotic has collaborated with Andalt foundation for this cause, and they require further funds for the manufacturing, production and distribution of the same. Each unit costs INR 3 lakhs so deployment of 10 units will amount to INR 30 lakhs.
Rishi believes that these Titan arms will bring revolutionary prosthetics technology into the lives of ordinary Indians and begin the process of making such technology common and affordable across the country and the world. He is looking for support to make a difference where it is most needed.
“Please join us, and ensure India witnesses this revolution as soon as possible. A selected few can even have their message, names, or any dedication, on the arms that will change lives across India. The time has come to take this technology to those who need it. In the future, Symbionic aims to create 100 3D-printed arms and have them fitted to 100 Titan heroes identified by the team, completely free of cost.” - Rishi Krishna
With your support, this dedicated team of individuals can take affordable prosthetics to thousands across the nation who will benefit from them. Click here to contribute.
