This robot will catch you when you fall
Getting on in years means not being as light on one's feet as in the past.
But for some, it also means a risk of debilitating falls, which can be even more dangerous for those who live alone.
ALSO READ: A fall in the elderly can be the start of deteriorating health
With all that in mind, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) engineers in the United States have made a robot to help elderly people remain at home for longer and avoid having to either pay for care or depend on family for assistance 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,' said MIT Department of Mechanical Engineering graduate student and the robot's designer Roberto Bolli.
The MIT team said they have built and tested what they call E-BAR – the 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 fall and refuse to use physical aids, which are cumbersome, while others overestimate the risk and may not exercise, leading to declining mobility,' said MIT Ford Professor of Engineering Dr Harry Asada.
The contraption entails 'robotic handlebars' that follow the user, who, the MIT team said, can in turn 'walk independently or lean on the robot's arms for support'.
'The robot can support the person's full weight, lifting them from sitting to standing, and vice versa, along a natural trajectory.
'And the arms of the robot can catch them by rapidly inflating side airbags if they begin to fall,' the researchers explained.
'Our design concept is to provide older adults having balance impairment with robotic handlebars for stabilising their body.
'The handlebars go anywhere and provide support any time, whenever they need,' Prof Asada said.
The prototype is operated by remote control, but the team aims to create a smaller, more nimble update that is automated to detect a user's movement and follow him or her around. – dpa
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
11 hours ago
- The Star
AI-dependent doctors risk losing their skill to detect colon cancer
Doctors who depend on regular AI assistance during colonoscopies are at risk of losing their ability to pick up on precancerous lesions during this procedure. — dpa Doctors and other medical professionals who lean on 'routine assistance' from artificial intelligence (AI) to carry out colonoscopies are at risk of losing the life-saving skills they have developed over years of on-the-job training. A study taking in over 1,400 colonoscopies at four Polish hospitals found a 20% decrease in the ability of 'experienced health professionals' to detect precancerous colon growths following the introduction of AI to the process. 'Continuous exposure to AI in colonoscopy' might reduce the effectiveness of 'standard, non-AI assisted colonoscopy,' the researchers warned. 'Our results are concerning given the adoption of AI in medicine is rapidly spreading,' says Assistant Prof Dr Marcin Romanczyk of the Academy of Silesia in Poland. 'These findings temper the current enthusiasm for rapid adoption of AI-based technologies... and highlight the importance of carefully considering possible unintended clinical consequences,' says consultant gastroenterologist and interventional endoscopist Dr Omer Ahmad of University College London in Britain, who was not involved in the study. Featured in The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology medical journal, the paper is the first 'to suggest the implementation of AI could lead to a reduction in the ability of medical professionals and impact health outcomes which are important to patients', according to the publisher. The findings follow the publication of 'several studies' that have suggested AI could help doctors identify cancers, according to The Lancet medical journal. 'We urgently need more research into the impact of AI on health professional's skills across different medical fields,' says Asst Prof Romanczyk. In their paper, Asst Prof Romanczyk and colleagues called for more 'behavioural research' to look into 'the currently under-investigated mechanisms of how AI affects physician capability.' – dpa
Free Malaysia Today
12 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Govt can't suddenly ban vape, says health minister
Health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said a report on the timing and pathway towards a vape ban is being prepared for the Cabinet. KUALA LUMPUR : Putrajaya cannot suddenly ban vape and e-cigarettes as doing so would expose the government to legal risks, says health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad. Since the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 (Act 852) was passed and gazetted, Dzulkefly said the vape industry is now legally registered and regulated. 'At the time, we made it clear that the industry would have to register and be regulated comprehensively,' he told the Dewan Rakyat while wrapping up debates on the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP). 'This has created a 'legitimate expectation' under the law, meaning that if we now impose a sudden ban after establishing Act 852, we must be ready to face possible legal challenges.' Act 852, gazetted on Feb 2 last year and enforced from Oct 1, bans the sale of tobacco and vape products to minors and regulates advertising, packaging, labelling, point-of-sale displays, as well as online sales of such products. Dzulkefly said his committee, consisting of experts, is preparing a report for the Cabinet on the timing and pathway towards a ban. 'It is not about 'if' we will ban, but 'when' we will ban,' he added. Last month, Dzulkefly had said his ministry was considering a total ban on the sale and use of vapes and electronic cigarettes. However, he said the move required several issues to be taken into consideration, such as legal implications, enforcement, and public health. Several state governments have moved towards completely banning the sale of vapes, including Perlis, Terengganu, Kedah and Pahang. Johor and Kelantan have banned the sale of these products since 2016 and 2015, respectively.
Malay Mail
12 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Health Ministry finalising report on proposed vape ban, says Dzulkefly
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 21 — A detailed report on the proposed ban of e-cigarettes and vapes is being finalised by a Health Ministry expert committee, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad. He said the report, which also considers the use of prohibited substances in vape liquids, including drugs, will be presented to the Cabinet once completed, though no timeline was disclosed. 'It is no longer a question of if we ban, but when we ban. This will be the essence of the report submitted to the Prime Minister and Cabinet,' he told the Dewan Rakyat during the ministry's winding-up debate on the 13th Malaysia Plan. Dzulkefly reiterated that the government's direction is towards a ban, particularly after evidence of drug contamination in open-system vapes. He explained that a total ban cannot be enforced immediately as the government has already gazetted the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 (Act 852), which regulates the industry. Responding to Bandar Kuching member of parliament Dr Kelvin Yii Lee Wuen, who raised concerns over the rise of drug-laced vapes similar to cases in Singapore, Dzulkefly said the Health Ministry is also studying the broader health risks, including e-cigarette or vaping-associated lung injury (EVALI). He cautioned that an abrupt ban could expose the government to legal challenges from industry players who have legitimate expectations under Act 852. Act 852, which was gazetted on Feb 2, 2024, came into force on Oct 1, 2024, together with the Regulations and Orders made under it. Dzulkefly added that the issue will also be brought to the regional level, with Malaysia proposing that vape control be included in the agenda of the ASEAN Health Ministers Meeting (AHMM) next year. — Bernama
