Robot Helpers Could Make Aging at Home More Realistic
The Columbian recently highlighted how robot helpers and other assistive devices may help older adults stay in their homes longer while also helping families manage the rising cost of care. That is where companies like Hello Robot are especially interesting.
Hello Robot’s Stretch is not a humanoid robot trying to look like a person, which is probably for the best. Instead, it uses a wheeled base, lifting column, and extendable arm to help with practical indoor tasks like reaching, moving, and picking things up.
This is still early technology, and it is not exactly priced like a toaster. But the direction matters. Assistive robotics is moving away from flashy demos and toward something much more useful: helping people live with more independence at home.
Read more | Learn more about Hello Robot
Girl Scouts Used Cookie Money to 3D-Print Wheelchairs for Toddlers
A Girl Scout troop in Dorchester, Massachusetts used cookie sale proceeds to buy a 3D printer and create wheelchair parts for young children who need mobility support. With help from their troop leader, the girls printed and assembled a pediatric wheelchair using designs from MakeGood, a nonprofit that shares 3D-printable assistive technology projects.
It is a great reminder that assistive technology does not always start in a hospital, university lab, or giant company. Sometimes it starts with a group of kids, a printer, and the very correct belief that cookie money can do more than buy patches.
Airlines Face a Major Deadline on Disability Accommodations
Starting June 17, 2026, airline employees and contractors who physically assist passengers with mobility disabilities or handle wheelchairs and scooters must receive required training under the U.S. Department of Transportation’s rule. The training is meant to improve how workers assist passengers during boarding, deplaning, transfers, and mobility device handling.
That matters because a damaged wheelchair is not just lost luggage. It can mean a traveler loses independence, safety, and the ability to move through the rest of their trip. Travelers should also know about the Airline Passengers with Disabilities Bill of Rights, which explains protections like the right to dignity and respect, assistance at airports and on aircraft, and help from a Complaint Resolution Official when disability-related problems happen.
Read more | Airline Passengers with Disabilities Bill of Rights
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