Researchers at IIT Madras have developed PLUTO, a robotic system designed to aid stroke rehabilitation therapy.

The robot assists patients in performing guided arm and hand movements, helping rebuild motor function after a stroke. Stroke is a leading cause of long-term disability in India, and access to quality rehabilitation remains limited outside major cities.

Robotic therapy can deliver the high number of repetitive movements needed for recovery, with consistent precision that is hard to sustain manually. The IIT Madras team says PLUTO is designed to be affordable and easy to deploy in clinics.

Early testing has focused on safety and usability with patients. If validated in larger trials, such systems could bring advanced rehabilitation to smaller hospitals and physiotherapy centres across the country.

The project adds to a growing list of Indian research efforts using robotics to solve healthcare challenges.

India records lakhs of stroke cases every year, and rehabilitation services are concentrated in big cities. Affordable robotic systems could help bridge that gap if they prove effective in clinical use.