About RBG Labs — Rehabilitation Bioengineering Group · IIT Madras

About RBG Labs

The Rehabilitation Bioengineering Group (RBG Labs) was established in 2006 at the Department of Engineering Design, IIT Madras, under the leadership of Prof. Venkatesh Balasubramanian. The lab applies a data-driven systems approach across road safety in India, human factors engineering, driver behaviour analysis, lean manufacturing, and transport policy support. Over the years, it has grown into a national reference center for capacity building in transport and safety systems.

In collaboration with the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), RBG Labs developed the electronic Detailed Accident Report (eDAR/iRAD), India's first national crash database, now deployed across all 36 States and Union Territories. The lab also anchors the Centre of Excellence for Road Safety (CoERS), integrating research in human factors, road engineering, and vehicle safety to strengthen systemic outcomes.

Explore our innovations How we work
RBG Labs fieldwork and research
RBG Labs fieldwork and research
RBG Labs fieldwork and research
RBG Labs fieldwork and research
Fieldwork and research01 / 04
  • 20years of research, since 2006
  • 36States and UTs running iRAD
  • 10key innovations in use

Transportation Safety Framework

RBG Labs focuses on understanding behaviour through objective assessments and data-driven research. The lab aims to address human physical and cognitive constraints by designing systems, tools, and interventions that enhance safety, comfort, and efficiency.

To achieve the Nation's vision in road safety, the Transportation Safety Framework (TSF), an empathy-based systems approach, was adopted by RBG Labs, IIT Madras as a comprehensive roadmap. The framework provides a data-driven approach to reviewing policy, strategy development, regulation and enforcement, education and training, road capacity and infrastructure, vehicle and road safety, and vehicle regulations. Adopting this framework, several Government initiatives were conceptualised.

How TSF Works

  1. 01

    Empathy-Based Understanding

    Ground every intervention in the lived, physical and cognitive realities of road users.

  2. 02

    Data-Driven Gap Analysis

    Use crash, behavioural and field data to identify where transportation systems fall short.

  3. 03

    Research & Development

    Translate identified gaps into evidence-based tools, products, processes and interventions.

  4. 04

    Capacity Building

    Work with governments, institutions and practitioners to enable adoption and sustained implementation at scale.

  5. 05

    Zero Road Fatalities

    Work towards the collective goal of zero road fatalities through evidence-based, actionable solutions.

TSF Outcomes

The framework works towards outcomes across seven categories:

  1. Mindset and Behavioural Change
  2. Strategy Development
  3. Technology Development
  4. Regulations and Enforcement
  5. Education and Training
  6. Occupant and Pedestrian Safety
  7. Policy Assistance

From Framework to Action

Adopting the TSF, RBG Labs has conceptualised and developed several products and government initiatives that translate research and evidence into actionable solutions.

Diagram of the Transportation Safety Framework

Key Innovations & Impact

Pioneering systemic change across road safety, trauma care, biomedical engineering, and data-driven governance.

01 / 10
Foundational Innovation
01
Suzhal Management System (SMS) & RBG Innovation Paradigm (RIP)
SMS and RIP have been used as demonstrative methodologies for bringing about systemic changes and disruptive innovation across various industries.
02 / 10
National Scale Impact
02
iRAD (eDAR) — India's National Crash Database
Developed as TARA in Tamil Nadu, adopted by MoRTH as iRAD. Deployed across all Districts of all 36 States and UTs within 18 months.
03 / 10
State-Level Trauma Revolution
03
TAEI (Tamil Nadu) & MAEI (Rajasthan)
Comprehensive trauma care system based on lean operations in Tamil Nadu, successfully replicated in Rajasthan.
04 / 10
Golden 48-Hour Policy
04
Nallam Kappom 48 hrs (NK48)
A framework to ensure emergency care — lifesaving critical diagnosis and interventions — to all for the first 48 hours after an accident. Introduced in Tamil Nadu and being implemented across India.
05 / 10
Auto Component of the Year 2018
05
Intelliseat™ — Smart Driver Monitoring
India's first IoT-based, non-vision driver behaviour, performance and fatigue monitoring device.
06 / 10
India's First Bioprosthetic Scaffold
06
SynkroScaff™
India's first bioprosthetic scaffold material for cardiac and plastic surgeries, commercialized through an IIT Madras spin-out.
07 / 10
Micro-Surgery Democratized
07
Shira Clamp
A microvascular clamp that reduces the skill required to perform micro-vascular and plastic surgeries.
08 / 10
Hyperlocal Safety Strategy
08
Data-Driven Hyperlocal Interventions (DDHI)
A targeted road safety strategy tailored to local conditions, assisting district road safety councils across multiple states.
09 / 10
Location Intelligence Engine
09
Sanjaya Platform
Comprehensive road safety stack and location intelligence platform for visualizing road crashes across India.
Ongoing Grassroots Movement
Zero Accident Day (ZAD) Campaigns
10
A community-level initiative using behavioural nudges to promote safer road practices at the grassroots — engaging local communities, schools, and civil society to create a culture of road safety awareness and accountability across every district in India.

Research Domains

Human Factors Engineering
Understanding human behaviour through objective assessments and data-driven research to design systems that address cognitive and physical constraints.
Design Thinking
First-principles based design thinking that drives innovation across government, industry and academia.
First Principles Approach
Rigorous scientific methods applied from the ground up — enabling breakthrough innovations that traditional approaches miss.
Evidence-Based Problem Solving
Every intervention backed by data — from crash intelligence platforms to trauma care systems.
Transportation Safety
Comprehensive road safety research spanning driver behaviour, occupant safety, road engineering, and public policy — targeting zero road fatalities.
Lean Manufacturing & Healthcare
Applying lean operations methods to manufacturing and healthcare systems.
Data-Driven Governance & Policy Operationalisation
Translating research into national policy — from iRAD/eDAR deployed across 36 States to the DDHI framework active in multiple states.