It all began with a college project—an Iron Man–like suit, a wearable machine that could lift heavy loads and help soldiers in remote, harsh terrains. What four friends—Vimal Govind MK, Arun George, Nikhil NP, and Rashid K.—once built in youthful spirit has today grown into Genrobotics, a company developing breakthrough technologies that address challenges impacting not just people’s health, but also their livelihoods, dignity, and social inclusion.
“Our main idea has always been to use robotics and AI to address real problems in society,” says Vimal Govind, CEO and director of the Kerala-based firm that created pathbreaking robots. Developing a full-fledged exoskeleton and taking it to market required years and massive funding. So, the team repurposed a part of that project—the arm section—to create their first product, Bandicoot, a robot designed to clean manholes and sewers, replacing the hazardous work of sanitation workers.
The robot tackled not just the social stigma of manual scavenging but also its medical toll. “Manual scavenging is an inhumane practice that still claims a life every five days in India,” says Govind. “It is often tied to marginalized communities, where workers die young—often before 50—due to occupational diseases. When parents die early, their children are forced into the same work, trapping families in a vicious cycle. By introducing robotics, we’ve broken that cycle for many.”
Genrobotics then created its first product for disability rehabilitation, G-Gaiter, repurposing the technology originally developed for the leg section of the exoskeleton.
“At the core, the technology and vision were similar, and so was the impact—whether giving mobility back to a disabled person or freeing someone from a degrading, inhumane job, we were restoring dignity and independence,” says Govind.
G-Gaiter evolved into a world-class technology, giving Genrobotics a niche position in the physical medicine and rehabilitation segment. Govind notes that traditional gait training—heavily dependent on manual support—was largely inefficient, as walking involves the coordination of six limbs, which is nearly impossible for a therapist to control accurately with just their hands. The robot solved this challenge.
In both Bandicoot and G-Gaiter, government partnerships played a pivotal role. The Kerala Water Authority (KWA) was Bandicoot’s first client, while G-Gaiter has been deployed in both private and government hospitals.
Today, Genrobotics’ robots are employed across 22 Indian states and in four countries. In the gait trainer segment, Govind points out that G-Gaiter is four times cheaper than comparable foreign alternatives. “With new plants coming up in multiple locations, large-scale manufacturing will further reduce costs,” he says.
Genrobotics is now rapidly expanding its product portfolio. In sanitation and industrial robotics, products like the G-Spider robot are automating waste removal from canals. In healthcare, the focus remains on physical medicine and rehabilitation. “Within the next three months, we will launch an upper-body rehab device, complementing our existing robots to create a complete rehab ecosystem.
Additionally, our R&D team is working on humanoid and semi-humanoid robots, which we expect to launch in about a year. Our overarching vision remains improving mobility, delivering quality rehab, and creating advanced robotics solutions for society,” says Govind.