Ann Arbor inventor turns grandmother’s fall into a patented mobility device and company

Meera Ramaswami, Founder at CargilityPhoto: Meera Ramaswami/ LinkedIn A fall while getting out of a car changed the direction of Meera Ramaswami’s life. She watched her grandmother lose her balance during a moment that should have been routine, then saw the injury heal while the fear remained. Her grandmother became less willing to travel, and Meera began thinking about how a small loss of stability could lead to isolation and lost independence. That question eventually became Cargility, an Ann Arbor company developing a portable mobility aid that helps people enter and exit vehicles safely. Meera designed the device, tested prototypes, earned recognition through The Henry Ford’s Invention Convention and secured a US utility patent. As reported by The Henry Ford and Ann Arbor SPARK, the invention has grown from a family experience into a company founded by Meera and her mother, Praveena Ramaswami.A familiar moment with serious consequencesGetting into or out of a car is an ordinary action for most people, but it can become difficult after an injury, during ageing or for anyone with balance and mobility challenges. A person may need to twist, lower themselves, find a stable surface ...