Startup invents WiFi-supporting ‘smart’ calculator

Indian startup Tohands has developed a smart calculator that supports WiFi connectivity and shows transactions on a mobile app. The calculator has a 16MB built-in memory, which can store 50 lakh transactions. It comes with a 2,400-mAh rechargeable battery and a USB-C port for charging.

Uttar Pradesh’s Praveen Mishra had started ToHands in 2017 with Satyam Sahu and Shanmuga Vadiwal. All of the three Co-founders have been handling completely different domains of the business. Praveen takes care of the product side of things, Satyam takes care of the apps and software and Shanmuga was responsible for the hardware.

The first version of the 'smart' calculator was developed by Mishra which was a Raspberry Pi-powered prototype of a device with a keyboard and two buttons, one of which was for credit and the other for debit. He then visited some shopkeepers and showed them a prototype device to measure their interest in smart calculators.

Initially, they were able to get seven pre-orders of the device but Mishra and his team soon started working on version two of the calculator. The second version involved calculation functionality along with credit and debit facilities. However the screen was smaller and the device used a membrane keyboard.

After the startup was selected at T-Hub, the team was inspired to take the other shot at hardware and layer the look to create smart calculators a reality. Currently, this calculator is being sold for Rs 3,000.