NIA grants nearly $3 million to startup testing stretch robot
Technology
The company, a startup, just landed nearly $3 million from the National Institute on Aging to test its Stretch robot with people facing early Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive issues.
Over the next three years, researchers want to see if Stretch can make daily routines easier and help older adults stay socially connected at home or in care settings.
UIUC joins 60-person stretch trial
Partnering with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the team will study if Stretch can give reminders, find lost items, and support safety for those with memory challenges.
Early trials will involve 60 older adults and caregivers at McKechnie Family LIFE Home.
If it works well, this research could shape future technology that helps people live more independently as they age.