AGNES Allows The Young To Experience Instant 'Aging'
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Most of us have at some point or another become impatient with a 'slow, bumbling' elderly adult or a grandparent 'moaning' about aches and pains. Would we be as dismissive, if we knew what they were going through?
Now, thanks to the AGNES (Age Gain Now Empathy System) suit developed by The Massachusetts Institute of Technology's (MIT) Age Lab, we can all experience the plight of the elderly.
Thankfully, however, the transformation is not a result of an irreversible chemical reaction, but a temporary condition caused by different gadgets that are attached to the suit. To emulate slow movement and joint pain, two stretchy bands, restrict the legs from extending all the way. A special helmet with straps attaches to the spine and alters body posture, so that person can experience how it feels to walk around with a little stoop.
Special shoes restrict the gait by reducing hamstring flexibility. And that's not all - Wear the gloves that come with the suit, and you will realize why the elderly cannot lift things as deftly as a young person. To complete the experience, AGNES comes with special earphones that make it difficult to hear to hear really sharp or soft sounds.
While an AGNES experience is bound to emanate some sympathy for the elderly, that is not the primary purpose behind its creation. It has largely been invented so that designers and engineers can create safer crosswalks, stairs, accessible grocery aisles and so on - A very important consideration given that the elderly population in the US alone, is expected to exceed over 7.2 million, by the year 2030.
In addition, AGNES has been modeled after an adult who has led an extremely unhealthy life, hence projecting a senior citizen in the worst possible health condition. By doing so, the scientists are hoping to encourage today's youth to make better food choices and remain active, which in turn, will help them age better.
So, the next time you are feeling lazy or eating too much junk, be sure to reflect back on AGNES and, while 75 may seem like eons of years away, it will come by sooner than you think - Just ask your grandparents!
Resources: latimes.com, tested.com,odditycentral.com
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186 Comments
- $$$over 13 yearsthat is weird
- Enom@E.over 13 yearsYou youngsters better exercise everyday so your joints don't stiffen as you age. Also, eat HEALTHY foods like spinach, broccoli and carrots because even though they sound gross now, they will keep you healthy, strong, and alert as you age. Finally, you youngsters shouldn't put the volume so high on your thingamajigs (e.g.: iPods, mp3’s, and iPhones) because they will damage your hearing as you age. And take this from me, Sue Jenkins, reporting from the senior’s home and still in good shape at age 83.
- Shyal C.over 13 yearsI am going to tell you to stay healthy when you grow up. When you are young, eat healthy, and it will keep you strong! Get active! Do things like playing sports, and it will help your legs and muscles. Also, you can eat carrots to make your eyes better. Here is a tip…make sure you keep the headphone’s volume down because otherwise it can damage your hearing. This is what you should do when you’re a kid.
- Sabrina C.over 13 yearsGetting old is not going to be fun. I have 4 things you should know about. 1) Get your eyes checked every year by an eye doctor. 2) Exercise and be flexible to help keep your muscles strong. 3) To prevent hearing loss don’t go near loud things like boom boxes, don’t turn up the TV, and don’t shout in someone’s ear too loud. 4) Eat healthy because it helps your body grow and stay healthy. Being old is really hard, but make the right choices and your body will thank you!!
invisubuleyeover 13 yearsThis is kind of weird, but it will probably bring a lack of respect to the elderly.- Nikola P.over 13 yearsKids, do you eat a lot of junk food? Then start eating less or you will experience the pain your grandparents have. Also don't be that lazy that you can get out of bed. Go outside at least one time a day. Ask your grandparents how they feel. If you don't eat right your muscles and joints will start hurting and you won’t be able to walk as fast as you were young. So don't make that mistake. Start now and eat right and exerecise so it won't effect your life later on.
- Nina P :)over 13 yearsChildren, now you listen to me, always exercise, and eat the right foods! Or your going to end up looking like me. When you get older you change a lot from when you were little. Like your bones hurt you, you walk slower, and you get some gray hair. Imagine a 74 year old playing baseball. It would be much harder than a child's. So you take care of yourself, by exercising, eating right foods, and walk around your block at least once a day. If you have a dog, you can also get exercise, and you can have a little friend while you are walking. So take care of yourself while you are young, so it won't effect you later in life.
- Ambika S.over 13 years5th graders, you better listen to me. When you get older your body will start to change. Your muscles will start hurting, your joints will start aching, you won’t be able to walk as fast, and much more. You can prevent all of this from happening. But, you should act now. Don’t wait. The changes you make today will effect what happens 60 years from now. When you are older, you won’t be able to hear as clearly. So, turn down the volume on your headphones. All the signs of aging that I mentioned before are preventable. Go exercise, eat better, and take long walks in the park. If you do these things, you will eventually feel better when you are older.
- Ally T.over 13 yearsYou listen to me you know because when I was your age I ignored my grandma and look where it got me. Stop eating that candy bar. Its very bad for you unless you want to look like me. Turn off the TV. Fine if you wont than I will. Now were are my glasses. Get some exercise right now because if you don’t you might end up looking like I am. You know in my day we didn’t have the TV. we played cards or jumped rope. Listen to your doctor because even though you are not as smart as I am he sometimes might be right.
- jose over 13 yearsIf was in my 80s and i would tell 5th graders that if they eat to much junk food it will make them weak. I would tell them to stay active and to shut down those computer games or else they will waste there lives by just playing video games.They should also listen to the elderly to have a better life