For some people, getting old means not being as light on your feet as before. For others, it means a greater risk of debilitating falls – which can be even more dangerous for those who live alone.
With that in mind, engineers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge in the United States have made a robot to help elderly people living in their own homes. Its use could mean that people get to remain independent for longer before having to pay for care or asking family members for help with standing and sitting.
“All the demographic trends point to a shortage of caregivers, a surplus of elderly persons and a strong desire for elderly persons to age in place,” says MIT’s Roberto Bolli.
The MIT team have built what they call E-Bar, or Elderly Bodily Assistance Robot, which the university described as “designed to physically support the elderly and prevent them from falling as they move around their homes”.
“Many older adults underestimate the risk of falls and refuse to use physical aids, which are cumbersome, while others overestimate the risk and may not exercise, leading to declining mobility,” says Harry Asada of MIT.