Bringing succor to autistic children

Startup

Bringing succor to autistic children

Trivandrum-based Embright Infotech develops XR-AI diagnostic tool. Centre of Autism Disease Control and Prevention survey, the ratio of children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder all around the world is 1:59. Diagnosing ASD is difficult as there is no medical test to detect it.

When Sathyanarayanan A.R. and Bobin Chandra first brainstormed for startup idea, they didn’t have to look far. It was the work of Sathya’s mother, a post-doctoral in clinical linguistics, involved with rehabilitation activities of disabled children, which set them thinking.

At that time Sathya was working in virtual reality as an innovation specialist at an MNC in Bangalore. His exposure to disabled and autistic children inspired Sathya to start a venture that develops virtual reality healthcare solutions along with his schoolmate Bobin.

According to the Centre of Autism Disease Control and Prevention survey, the ratio of children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) all around the world is 1:59. Diagnosing ASD is difficult as there is no medical test to detect it.

The only way it can be diagnosed at present is when the doctors observe the patient over a generalised parameter. Since patients are not able to give much feedback, the doctors are also unable to fully find out the in-depth details of the problem.

It was to address this problem with tech solutions that Mr. Sathyanarayanan and Mr. Chandra founded Embright Infotech in 2017.

The startup brings VR as a diagnostic and therapeutic tool for doctors to study and understand the various medical procedures and patient diagnosis in detail. Once the patient (child) puts on the Auticare device, they are transported to a virtual world, and are taught real life skills.

A BTech graduate, Sathya had worked for over nine years at the MNC before starting up. Bobin is an MBA graduate with over eight years of experience working with MNCs in India and overseas.

Embright Infotech got off the ground with a team of four people, and has today grown into an 18-member team. The Trivandrumbased company also has an office in Bangalore. Mr. Sathyanarayanan is the Chief Executive Officer of the startup while Mr. Chandra is the Cofounder.

The startup’s main product, Auticare, is an Extended Reality (XR), AI-based assistive technology for ASD, which is also helping young doctors, apart from patients, with a look and feel of real medical procedures. It helps in new methods of treatment for rare diseases and helps doctors gain familiarity. “Our main focus area is the content development of 3D environments in virtual reality and augmented reality. The sector is just starting to come up in India, and we are one of the very few VR/AR companies in Kerala. We create customer specific environments to customers based on the requirements specified by them,” according to the CEO.

Global Venture Capital Summit organized by Govt of India and Govt of Goa

Startup

The company has created special scenarios such as road crossing and traffic light signals to help the child imbibe and behave accordingly in such situations. It tracks the heat map of the patient’s eye and also the emotional changes happening during the exercise. This data is then recorded and stored for reference by other doctors so that a general diagnosis pattern result can be obtained.

“The customer segment of autism therapy starts from hospitals and

benefits of therapy that is prescribed by a certified doctor,” according to Sathya. A standard Auticare costs over Rs.10 lakh. The startup provides services to hospitals, clinics, and special education schools. It has over 10 customers in private and public sectors in India, and is also in talks with various clinics and hospitals in GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council). It had also tied up with Kerala Social Security Mission, Government of Kerala, CEFEE (Central for Empowerment and Enrichment). The company’s primary market sector includes healthcare and wellMr. Sathyanarayanan A R, CEO interacting with Smt. Jennifer Monserrate, IT Products by developing therapy Minister, Govt of Goa Modules in Virtual Reality for

The startup brings VR as a to masses. Autistic children can patients with Autism and related diagnostic and therapeutic tool for visit such centres and take therapy disabilities. Using their immersive doctors to study and understand sessions under the supervision experience, the patients can undergo the various medical procedures and of doctors. The next level of the training and therapy session that patient diagnosis in detail. Once the product adopters will be special helps in improving their Social, patient (child) puts on the Auticare schools and health centres that Selfcare and Motor skills. The device, they are transported to a monitor and cater to the needs of AI-XR platform of the company virtual world, and are taught real life disabled children. Parents can also provides prediction and diagnosis skills. buy the product directly and get the reports.

being using Assistive technology public health centres that provide Mr. Gopalakrishnan S, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Informacheap and affordable treatment tion Technology experiencing Auticare at Startup India Global Venture Capital Summit

Mr. Sathyanarayanan A R, CEO and Mr. Bobin Chandra CFO at Startup India Global Venture Capital Summit

Embright Infotech was one of the top VR companies selected by Kerala Startup Mission to be incubated. The company is also incubated in NASSCOM, Bangalore; IIMK Live, Kozhikode; Maker Village, Kochi; and virtual incubation at Vel Tech TBI, Chennai.

Initially bootstrapped, the company has got some external funding as it was selected for Nidhi Prayas funding scheme initiated by the Government of India for startups. It was also selected for Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC) Entrepreneurship Development Fund initiated by Government of Kerala for startups and was granted a KSUM seed loan.

Embright Infotech also secured the highest innovation grant of Rs.50 lakh awarded by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India. It recently bagged the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council Biotechnology Ignition Grant (BIRAC BIG15). The startup is one of the 15 companies selected for the grant in India.

The company was one among the finalist at Gitex Supernova Challenge 2019, shortlisted from 1,000 startups that applied for the global competition.

In 2019, it was one of the top 10 startups from 300 startups that got selected for the Startup India’s Innovation showcase at Global Venture Capital Summit organised by Government of India & Government of Goa.

They showcased the product in front of the policymakers and investors, including Reserve Bank Director, Meity officials, Infosys co founders, etc. Embright is the only company from Kerala which is shortlisted to participate in the Innovation showcase.

The startup has plans to expand to other cities and states in the country and reach out to people in remote areas. Soon, it is also planning to expand outside the nation and set up therapy and R&D centres across the GCC countries, the United Kingdom and the United States.