Robot That Helps Seniors Walk, Sit, And Avoid Falls - 1

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Robot That Helps Seniors Walk, Sit, And Avoid Falls

  • Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
  • Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager

MIT researchers created E-BAR, a robot designed to help seniors move safely at home, supporting them during daily tasks and preventing falls.

In a rush? Here are the quick facts:

  • E-BAR lifts users and catches falls with airbags.
  • The robot moves with omnidirectional wheels.
  • It works without a harness or wearable device.

MIT recently announced that its engineers developed a robot system which could revolutionize senior care for people living at home. The E-BAR (Elderly Bodily Assistance Robot) functions as a robotic handlebar system, providing assistance in walking, sitting, standing, as well as automatic fall protection.

The E-BAR works as robotic handlebars following the person around. Users can walk independently, or use the device for support when needed. The device enables users to transition from sitting to standing, while its side airbags can instantly inflate to protect against injuries during potential falls.

“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 Professor Harry Asada.

“Our design concept is to provide older adults having balance impairment with robotic handlebars for stabilizing their body. The handlebars go anywhere and provide support anytime, whenever they need,” Asada added.

The robot doesn’t need the user to wear a harness. “The idea behind the E-BAR structure is, it provides body weight support, active assistance with gait, and fall catching while also being completely unobstructed in the front. You can just get out anytime,” said graduate student Roberto Bolli.

The current E-BAR system operates through remote control, but the researchers claim that future versions will assist and move autonomously. The design maintains a slim profile which enables users to navigate through doors and compact home environments. The robot uses special wheels to move in any direction and includes airbags that are soft but fast-acting.

Tests show the robot helps users perform tasks like bending, reaching, or getting into and out of bathtubs safely.

“I think eldercare is the next great challenge,” Bolli said. “We see it as an unexplored frontier in America, but also an intrinsically interesting challenge for robotics.”

Controversial AI Paper Withdrawn After MIT Investigation - 2

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Controversial AI Paper Withdrawn After MIT Investigation

  • Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
  • Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager

In a rush? Here are the quick facts:

  • MIT disavowed a widely circulated AI research paper by a former student.
  • The paper claimed AI boosted lab discoveries but lowered scientists’ satisfaction.
  • MIT cited lack of confidence in the paper’s data and conclusions.

The paper had gained wide attention for claiming that using an AI tool in a materials science lab resulted in more discoveries but also made scientists feel less satisfied with their work.

MIT released a statement Friday saying it “has no confidence in the provenance, reliability or validity of the data and has no confidence in the veracity of the research contained in the paper.” The university did not name the student, citing privacy laws, but the author has been identified by The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) as Aidan Toner-Rodgers. He is no longer at MIT.

Toner-Rodgers presented the paper, titled “Artificial Intelligence, Scientific Discovery, and Product Innovation,” at a major economics conference and posted it online last year. It was praised at the time by MIT economists Daron Acemoğlu, who won the 2024 Nobel Prize, and David Autor, who said he was “floored” by the findings, as previously reported by the WSJ .

But in January, a computer scientist questioned the lab’s existence and how the AI tool worked. Unable to resolve the doubts, Acemoglu and Autor alerted MIT, which then conducted a confidential review, as reported by the WSJ.

Following that, the university requested that the paper be removed from both the academic journal where it had been submitted and from the public preprint site arXiv. The WSJ reported that MIT refused to specify what the paper’s errors were, and said it based this decision on “student privacy laws and MIT policy.”

MIT emphasized that protecting the integrity of research is vital, saying the paper “should be withdrawn from public discourse” to avoid spreading incorrect claims about AI’s impact.

The incident has heightened existing worries about the application of generative AI in scientific research. The increasing adoption of ChatGPT and similar tools in academic work has led experts to warn about the rising danger of AI-generated content .

Specifically, the lack of detectable manipulation of these images makes it difficult to identify fraudulent activities. Researchers believe that AI-generated content may already be entering journals without detection, threatening the trustworthiness of scientific literature.