This robot can assist elderly people with daily tasks
What's the story
Engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have come up with a robot to aid the elderly.
The invention, dubbed the Elderly Bodily Assistance Robot (E-BAR), is intended to offer physical assistance and prevent falls for older adults.
E-BAR can hold a person's weight, lift them from a sitting position, and save them from falling with its "rapidly inflating side airbags."
Robot features
Innovative design and functionality
The E-BAR comes with four independently controlled omnidirectional wheels. This particular feature enables the robot to rotate in place and hold an elderly person without falling over.
In a demonstration video, the bot is seen performing six tasks usually associated with an elderly caregiver, including helping with getting in/out of a bathtub, reaching low shelves, lifting patients from toilets/floors, and providing walking assistance.
User experience
E-BAR offers unobtrusive support to the elderly
The E-BAR team sought to develop an assistant that could assist seniors without being intrusive.
Roberto Bolli, a graduate student engineer working on the project, detailed its design philosophy to MIT News.
He said that "Elderly people overwhelmingly do not like to wear harnesses or assistive devices."
He added, "The idea behind the E-BAR structure is that it provides body weight support, active assistance with gait, and fall catching while also being completely unobstructed in the front."
Market prospects
Commercial viability of E-BAR remains uncertain
While the E-BAR was mainly designed as a research project, its door-friendly size and 18-bar linking arm could be adapted for commercial use by robotics manufacturers.
However, the widespread adoption of such devices in senior care remains uncertain due to factors like a lack of insurance coverage and high production costs.
In the US, eldercare tech devices aren't covered by Medicare or private insurance, making them unaffordable for many seniors.