The Centre of Excellence in Medical Technology, under the School of Healthcare Science and Engineering of VIT, was inaugurated at its campus in Vellore.
According to a press release, the new facility, which was set up in collaboration with Hyderabad-based Institute of Advanced Medical Research and Innovation (IAMRAI), aims to boost indigenous manufacturing of high-end medical devices under the ‘Make in India’ initiative.
The new centre was declared open by Sanjay Behari, Director, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST), and Professor Joseph Vettukattil, Director, IAMRAI. The new centre has two state-of-the-art medical-grade braiding machines, estimated around ₹2 crore and sponsored by IAMRAI. The equipment will enable indigenous production of advanced cardiovascular devices using nitinol wires for procedures like angioplasty and stent implantation.
The facility is expected to significantly reduce costs by manufacturing critical heart valve and vascular devices that currently cost ₹10–15 lakh per unit when imported, whereas it could cost around ₹3 lakhs in India.
The new centre also has Brain-Computer Interface (BCI)-controlled robotic arm system for neurorehabilitation and assistive robotics applications. In the first phase, the centre will collaborate with SCTIMST to develop coronary sinus reducer and other advanced cardiovascular devices.
