The country’s largest watchmaker — Titan Industries Ltd — is all set for a big diversification into ‘body wearable’ healthcare devices and products driven by micro electro mechanical systems, popularly known as MEMS technology.

The first MEMS-based product from Titan to hit the market will be an enhanced ‘Pedometer’ which can be worn on a person’s belt or used as a tie clip and can track various parameters including calories burnt while he or she is walking. The second version will enable the device to also monitor blood pressure.

Sources said Titan is also exploring the possibilities for building a watch which can check and monitor the wearer’s blood sugar levels and perhaps later even inject required doses of insulin. Incidentally, Titan recently entered into an MoU with IISc to work towards incorporating MEMS and nanotechnology concepts to make the relevant products.

When contacted, Titan Industries chief technology officer and vice-president Mr BG Dwarakanath said the company was looking at using MEMS technology to develop wearable and affordable products in healthcare and health monitoring segments.

"We are exploring several options but it is too early to talk about some of these ideas," he said. However, Mr Dwarakanath confirmed about the development of pedometer. "Pedometer is in its final testing stage and was manufactured at Titan’s facilities. It will be launched soon as a Titan branded product," Mr Dwarakanath said.

The Titan Pedometer will facilitate more data capture than the usual devices that are available today. The device will have capabilities for inputs and will analyse the data captured based on these inputs.

"The instrument will require inputs from the wearer like age, sex, height and weight, before he wears it and starts walking. Once the walk is complete all the details of that duration including number of steps, distance covered, stride and even the number of calories burnt will be available," he added.

"At Titan our R&D thrust is to develop products that are unique and different but also affordable at the same time. This was one of the main reasons why we decided to liaison with institutions like IISc etc," he said.

The main aim behind the MEMS technology is to build small-scale intelligent devices which can be used across the board for a number of applications including biological/healthcare, defence, aeronautical requirements, etc and is a key area of research across the world.

In an earlier interview with FE, the Rs 727-crore Titan managing director Mr Bhaskar Bhat had said the company had identified its precision engineering skills to leverage and develop new revenue streams for its future growth.