Startups showcase tech for social needs at convention

Keeping in mind that no technology is complete until it is of use to the common man, Maker Village, the country's largest hardware incubator, has come up with an array of startups that employs state-of-the-art technology to tackle social needs.

As many as 14 startups have lined up at a technology expo at the ongoing TiEcon Kerala 2018 which is the state's largest entrepreneurs' convention, a release said here Friday.

The startups at the two-day event concluding on Saturday display a wide range of technologies that could deal with rural, environmental, healthcare, disaster management and other requirements of society.

For instance, Ascent Technologies, a startup incubated at Maker Village, has come up with a mapping system that can identify the right hospital and doctor as well as the availability of ambulance during an emergency, says Prasad Balakrishnan Nair, CEO, Maker Village.

Yet another startup has developed a portable ECG monitoring system at an affordable rate.

Pointing out such technologies are the need of the hour, he explained that such a facility can save a lot of lives in the hinterlands where ECG monitoring is a rarity.

"Only big hospitals are endowed with ECG facilities. Hence, taking such facilities to rural areas can save lots of lives," he said.