The EKKO-Wave therapeutic device, developed by a team led by Prof. Dr. Muhammad Usman Akram of NUST and innovator Shahbaz Khalid Ranjha, has been installed at the National Special Education Centre for Physically Handicapped Children in Islamabad. The non-invasive, wave-based system is designed to improve speech, cognitive and motor skills in children with neurological impairments such as cerebral palsy and dysarthria. The installation was formally received by the Directorate General of Special Education and signals a push to make advanced, locally developed assistive technologies available across special education centres.
The device was developed under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Muhammad Usman Akram of the EME College at NUST, who also directs the Biomedical Image & Signal Analysis Lab. Shahbaz Khalid Ranjha, consultant on special education at the Directorate General of Special Education and innovator of neuro-transmission cognitive therapy, contributed to the project. Together they designed EKKO-Wave as a non-invasive therapeutic platform intended to support rehabilitation of speech, cognition and motor function.
The handover ceremony at the centre was presided over by Captain (retd.) Asif Iqbal Bhatti, Director General of Special Education, who formally received the device. All directors of the Directorate General of Special Education attended the event. Director General Bhatti highlighted the importance of integrating appropriate technology into special education programs and noted the strong support for such initiatives from Secretary Education Nadeem Mehboob.
Officials said the installation reflects a broader vision to deploy advanced, locally developed technologies for children with disabilities. The Directorate General of Special Education reaffirmed its commitment to expanding access to the EKKO-Wave system and similar innovations across other centres under its administration to enhance therapeutic options for students with special needs.
