Context: Recently, the Department of Science and Technology has taken several initiatives to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 among Divyangjan and Elderly and identified various challenges faced by them for finding technological solutions.
Key Points

• The organizations supported by Science for Equity Empowerment and Development(SEED) Division of DST have been instrumental in developing various assistive tools, technologies and techniques, that are affordable and adaptable to the Indian milieu 
• This all achieve through its programme on Technology Interventions for Disabled and Elderly (TIDE), for creating inclusiveness and universal accessibility for Divyangjan and Elderly.

About Technology Interventions for Disabled and Elderly (TIDE)

• It is the Department of Science and Technology’s (DST) focused initiative on Science and Technology (S&T) interventions for the benefit of elderly and also the differently-abled Divyangjan persons in the country.
• In addition to improving the quality-of-life of the target population with appropriate and/or innovative scientific technological interventions.
• It also aims at giving them autonomy, and independence through holistic development by creating requisite enabling environments for their empowerment.
• Proposals on Research and Development for technological solutions with multidisciplinary approach to improve the quality of life of Elderly population and Divyangjan and in making them self sufficient are considered for financial assistance under this programme.

Other tools

1) e-Tool: Under this programme, an e-Tool to create awareness and impart health and hygiene related information along with education and entertainment to overcome loneliness of the persons with intellectual disabilities, due to COVID-19 pandemic has been developed by Rajalakshmi Engineering College, Chennai.
This will help the persons with intellectual disability to learn with fun through tabs and mobiles. The e-Tool can also be converted into other vernacular languages and the Beta Version of the e-tool is being used by 200 specially-abled children.
2) Wearable sensor: It is a device developed by PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore to remotely monitor the activities of elderly and divyangjan staying alone or those who happen to be under quarantine or isolation wards. 
The device also predicts and detects fall and frailty levels in elderly. The device costs Rs.1,500/- when produced in bulk.