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MassRobotics just lately hosted the “Robotics in Age & Assistive Tech” occasion in collaboration with The Grid and Harvard’s Transfer Lab. Held on the Harvard Science & Engineering Advanced, the occasion introduced collectively a various group of stakeholders to debate the challenges and options within the quickly rising discipline of robotics and assistive expertise.
This occasion explored how robots and synthetic intelligence (AI) might be leveraged to boost mobility, independence, and total well-being for older adults and people with bodily impairments. The gathering underscored the important function of collaboration between analysis establishments, healthcare suppliers, and modern startups to create impactful options within the age and assistive tech area.
A imaginative and prescient for the long run
Earlier than the occasion’s formal classes started, contributors got the chance to take a tour of Harvard’s Transfer Lab, led by professor Conor Walsh. The Transfer Lab is a collaborative area the place engineering and design intersect to create purposeful wearable gadgets that improve mobility. Walsh’s insights into the lab’s groundbreaking work highlighted the potential of robots to remodel healthcare and rehabilitation processes.
Conor Walsh displaying attendees of the “Robotics in Age & Assistive Tech” occasion round Harvard’s Transfer Lab. | Supply: MassRobotics
Tackling wants and challenges
The occasion kicked off with shows on the wants and challenges going through getting older and mobility-impaired populations. Keynotes from Indra Sandal and Kevin White of Tampa Veterans Hospital offered perception into the mobility wants of sufferers in hospital and rehabilitation settings. These consultants highlighted how technological innovation is crucial to assembly the rising demand for mobility aids and assist techniques in healthcare services.
The AARP’s AgeTech Collaborative, represented by Danielle Duplin, additionally offered on the precise challenges going through getting older populations. Her insights highlighted the significance of growing accessible, inexpensive options that target “pleasure,” and permitting the getting older to make use of instruments and applied sciences which can be easy to make use of and don’t require help in order that the consumer feels unbiased.
Moreover, Michael Bankowski, founding father of Affluent Well being, spoke concerning the important function of caregivers and the challenges they face. Because the inhabitants ages, the necessity for superior assistive applied sciences to assist each caregivers and people they look after is extra urgent than ever.
Chopping-edge analysis and robots
The occasion continued with a sequence of shows from main researchers within the discipline of robotics and assistive expertise. Paolo Bonato, director of the Movement Evaluation Laboratory at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, shared analysis from the hospital’s BioRobotics Laboratory that focuses on advances in rehabilitation expertise and wearable robotics for sufferers with mobility impairments.
Kyu-Jin Cho from the BioRobotics Laboratory Seoul Nationwide College and Lou Awad from the Boston College Neuromotor Restoration Laboratory additionally offered their work on wearable gadgets and neuromotor restoration. Their analysis demonstrated the transformative potential of wearable robots in serving to people regain misplaced mobility and independence.
From analysis to commercialization: real-world influence
Paul Gudonis, CEO of Myomo, shares how Myomo’s robotic expertise helps sufferers overcome higher limb impairment. | Supply: MassRobotics
The ultimate classes targeted on startup applied sciences and the commercialization of robotics and assistive applied sciences. A notable success story was offered by Paul Gudonis, CEO of Myomo, a frontrunner in medical rehabilitation robotics. Gudonis shared how Myomo’s robotic gadgets are serving to sufferers overcome higher limb impairment, offering hope and independence to people who had beforehand been unable to carry out on a regular basis duties.
A spotlight of the occasion was the Startups Showcase, the place 9 robotics startups had the chance to pitch their concepts and to the viewers. Every firm had 3 minutes to share how their expertise is contributing to the sector of assistive and mobility tech. Startups included:
- In a position Innovation (led by Jay Singh), a robotic and automatic system operated by a single operator for affected person switch.
- ATDev (led by Todd Roberts), growing a robotic knee brace to assist rehabilitation from anyplace
- Ava Robotics (offered by Marcio Macedo), which is designing robots to help with distant care.
- Cobionix (offered by Matthew Sefati), Autonomous medical robots for healthcare suppliers
- REEV (offered by Amaury Ciurana), REEV is making the primary good, patient-centric, motorized knee brace for post-stroke strolling help
- Tatum Robotics (Samantha Johnson, founder and CEO) devoted to empower the deafblind neighborhood with their first unbiased communication instrument
- Tombot (offered by Tom Stevens) robotic pets for individuals who can’t safely or virtually look after their very own
- UnOrthoDOKS (led by Danish Shaikh) wearable robotic orthoses for knee rehabilitation
- Verve Movement (offered by Brendan Quinlivan) an agile exosuit for a protected and productive workforce in movement
Trying forward: collaboration for influence
Tom Stevens displaying off Tombot’s robotic pets on the “Robotics in Age & Assistive Tech” occasion. | Supply: MassRobotics
Paul Loschak from Medtronic, a sponsor of the occasion, wrapped up the session discussing the significance of company collaboration in driving innovation. Medtronic’s involvement within the occasion strengthened the necessity for business leaders to work alongside startups, tutorial establishments, and healthcare suppliers to create sustainable options for getting older and mobility-impaired people.
Following the shows, attendees had the chance to community and discover startup demos, permitting them to see firsthand the startup’s applied sciences which can be shaping the way forward for healthcare and assistive tech.
A step towards the way forward for healthcare innovation
The “Robotics in Age and Assistive Tech” occasion sparked conversations and collaborations throughout sectors. Because the inhabitants continues to age, the necessity for modern robotics and AI-driven options will solely enhance. By bringing collectively healthcare suppliers, researchers, and tech innovators, MassRobotics, The Grid, and Harvard’s Transfer Lab are enjoying a pivotal function in shaping a future the place expertise empowers people with mobility challenges to reside fuller, extra unbiased lives.
For these concerned in getting older and assistive applied sciences, the occasion was a reminder of the ability of collaboration, innovation, and shared function in tackling the challenges that lie forward.
Editor’s Observe: This text was reprinted from MassRobotics and barely edited for brevity and readability.
