Which factors act as catalysts for some of our life-style related diseases?
 Shyam Sunder B KChief Designer – Tata Elxsi |
We live in a convenient world these days. From food, to clothing to entertainment, everything today has become a one-stop shop. With convenience being the driving force, from banking, to shopping to ticket booking, every facility is now available online, rendering any form of physical activity almost unnecessary. All you need to do is click a button and all products or services you may possibly require would be delivered at your doorstep. The ‘anytime, anywhere’ availability has fuelled a sedentary lifestyle. A short walk to the nearby grocery store has now been replaced by a quick home delivery service. Add to that, stress-induced drinking and smoking. This, coupled with the stressful lives that we lead today and a poor diet, has led to the increase of several lifestyle-related diseases like obesity, heart diseases, cholesterol, diabetes, stroke, depression etc. These diseases have exponentially increased as countries become more industrialised and people live longer. The occurrence of lifestyle-related diseases have become so frequent that WHO has identified India as a country which will have most of the lifestyle disorders in the near future.
Kindly elaborate on your statement that though there is a need for efficient and cost-effective products, yet there is also a stigma attached to using certain devices in public as it creates an unhealthy impression about the user.
Lifestyle-related diseases are now the leading cause of death worldwide, killing 36 million people a year. Almost every second person you meet is a victim of some lifestyle-related disease. Hence, people’s dependency on medicines and products that help to manage and keep these diseases at bay have increased exponentially. Research reports indicate that 68 per cent of the working women in India suffer from various lifestyle related diseases and as a result a large chunk of one’s income goes in the upkeep of the medical expenses involved.
But, if you take some of the diagnostic and preventive devices, like an inhaler or a glucometer, they are actually quite expensive. Moreover, they are very functional in nature and hence it makes the deficiency in the user very obvious. Users today have become very discerning about using such products in public as it prevents them from leading a normal life. The other aspect of these products is the performance levels which are fairly low due to the way the devices have been developed. It also needs to be immediately addressed.
According to you, what is a good design device?
Good design is a key component for increasing the efficiency as well as acceptability of the device. Any device that leverages the benefits of the latest technology available, and combines that with simplicity and ease of use, is tasteful and has an aesthetic appeal is an ideal design. The product should also cater to the core requirement with minimal effort. Moreover, the device should function accurately and consistently and at the same time should be ergonomic and minimalistic.
What designs will suit the needs of Indian population?
When designing for the Indian markets one needs to keep in mind the socio-economic nature of the market. However, the Internet and the phone revolution in India has created a highly aware consumer population. Thus, there is a need to design products that not only maintain world class standards but also are priced appropriately, keeping in mind the purchasing power of the target population for the product.
What design opportunities exist while making products for the Indian middle class?
India’s emerging middle class presents a huge opportunity in the Indian market scenario. This emerging urban middle class has a large amount of money at their disposal of which a large chunk is spent on their lifestyle needs. This emerging middle class also has extensive exposure to the products and services available around the globe and hence will not settle for anything less than the best. However, this group does not have the affordability to purchase or sustain the products at international prices. Moreover, the emerging middle class, in its attempt to make more money, is caught in a very stressful life where they are simultaneously pressed for time. Hence, any product that is designed keeping international aesthetic sensibilities and design philosophies in mind, that has minimum investment in terms of time and effort and yet functions consistently well and is affordable, is an instant hit with this segment.
Tata Elxsi has designed various cost effective and efficient medical devices like glucose monitors, breath inhalers, accelerometers, other monitoring devices, that has helped patients to keep diseases in check, without having to regularly visit the doctor or get medical tests done.
What strategies should Indian manufacturers adopt to make the most out of these opportunities?
In order to make most of these opportunities that presents itself, with the growth of the emerging middle class segment in the country, Indian companies need to be able to design and package their products well. This segment of the population is very aware of the products they invest in and are not easily taken in by marketing tactics. They are known to do proper research before making any purchasing decisions. Multi-functionality, time effectiveness and convenience that the product allows for are some of the major forces that help the consumers in making their purchasing decisions. Thus one of the major strategies the companies need to adopt is to design their products well, so that they are convenient, useful and affordable at the same time.
What will be the future trends in designing lifestyle related healthcare products?
Using the devices in public spaces is still a stigma. This challenge drives designers to make them trendy and intuitive to use. For example: a hearing aid made to look like a jewellery, a wearable body monitoring device made to look like a wrist/band watch and not a device that will make them conscious. A typical dry powder inhaler no more looks like a transparent chamber but a large whistle, that delivers drug but it is aesthetically treated, influenced by electronics and technology, usability as well as compliance has been thought of which still addresses the fact of on-go delivery system but not making it to look obvious. The devices, moreover, will become compact and easy to use. There will also be niche devices created to address a specific ailment and ensure that it is eliminated faster and effectively.
What is Tata Elxsi’s contribution in this space?
We are an ISO 13485 qualified company for designing medical products. Tata Elxsi has built a set of new products including our own IPs in the medical device domain spread across drug delivery devices, surgical devices, hospital equipment etc. We are proactively identifying opportunities for new product introduction and trying to indigenise expensive devices and products that caters to specific Indian needs.
What is Tata Elxsi’s way of dealing with challenges that come across while designing products for Indian consumers?
This is one of the major challenges, which Tata Elxsi addresses through product innovation, thus consistently designing products which cater to two of the major demands of the Indian consumer by bringing forth the latest technology at affordable prices.
What are the company’s future plans in this space?
We feel that there are several opportunities in the space – diagnostic, drug delivery and monitoring where we will address affordability and accessibility needs of the customer. We would also work on products specifically for the Indian and emerging markets.
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