Anandan, a daily wage earner in a confectionery-making unit in Tuticorin district of Tamil Nadu was upset when he saw a blind man falling into a pit and struggling to regain control. The incident inspired him to develop a cane that would inform the holder if an obstacle was near.

His walking stick works with the help of two battery cells and a secially fitted three-foot aerial, which vibrates whenever the user comes across an obstacle.

He had first made a cane with seven wheels, making different sounds when it dashed against stones or pits but it weighed about 24 kilograms. After working day and night, he succeeded in developing the new 1.3 kilogram stick which is fitted with an earphone, a toy-car motor and a bell, by which the user can identify pits and other obstacles.

He does not want to sell the rights to his invention but is seeking loans to market the product on his own.