This Robot Is Designed to Catch Elderly People

Researchers in Singapore have developed a robot to catch elderly people as they start to fall.

The so-called Mobile Robotic Balance Assistant (MRBA), or “Mister Bah,” is described as “a wearable assistive robot that can detect and prevent a fall before it happens.” It was developed by researchers at the Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) and Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) with assistance from the state-backed National Robotics Programme.

NTU Singapore says the robot “uses its inbuilt sensors to instantaneously detect a loss of balance and catches the user with its attached safety harness which is worn around the user’s hips.” MRBA can also “help users who have difficulty in walking and balancing to stand up safely from a seated position, and to sit down safely from a standing position,” the university says.

Insider notes(Opens in a new window) that falls are the leading cause of injury-related deaths in the US for people who are older than 65, per data published(Opens in a new window) by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and NTU Singapore says that statistics from the World Health Organization indicate that “falls are the second leading cause of death from accidental or unintentional injuries worldwide.”

“In clinical trials involving 29 participants, including patients who suffered from stroke, traumatic brain injuries, and spinal cord injuries, the researchers found that MRBA was successful in aiding them with sitting, standing, and walking, as well as assisting in tasks like fetching water,” NTU Singapore says. “No falls were recorded in the trials, which spanned three days per participant.”

The university says the researchers behind MRBA have developed three models of the robot, filed four patents related to the robot’s underlying technology, and is currently looking to “expand the study and recruit 71 more participants from day rehabilitation centres to further build the use case for the robot in home and community settings.” It could also see a commercial release by 2023.