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10,000 ft² of applied R&D infrastructure at Johns Hopkins: Futurology robotics at the opening of Geriatrics Engineering
Futurology took part in the opening of Geriatrics Engineering at the Johns Hopkins Bayview campus — a new interdisciplinary hub spanning 10,000 square feet, designed to integrate engineering, medicine, and the science of aging into a single applied R&D infrastructure. During the event, the team presented the Unitree Go2 EDU and Unitree G1 robots as examples of technologies that can be integrated into scenarios supporting mobility, safety, and autonomy for older adults.
On November 19, leaders from Johns Hopkins Engineering and Medicine officially launched the space as a point of interaction between research and practical solutions. The center was designed to accelerate the development of technologies that help older adults maintain independence and functional capabilities in everyday life for longer.
Engineering as an applied layer of modern geriatrics
The launch of Geriatrics Engineering reflects a broader trend: geriatric medicine is shifting from reacting to complications toward approaches in which environments, care processes, and support tools are designed to reduce risks (including falls, complications of chronic conditions, and cognitive decline) and improve quality of life. In this context, robotics is viewed as an applied tool that can combine spatial mobility, human interaction, and data-driven operation during the testing and validation of solutions.
One of the hub’s key differentiators is a fully equipped model apartment, where ideas are tested not only in laboratory settings but in conditions close to real life — with typical movement paths, everyday household objects, and practical constraints. This makes it possible to evaluate solutions in the very environments they are designed for.
During the opening, guests were introduced to demonstrations and research directions related to:
- neurological assessment and applied methods for condition analysis;
- gait and mobility analysis, including treadmill-based studies;
- tools for measuring movement patterns and safety;
- robotics as part of scenarios supporting functionality and well-being.
Futurology’s participation reinforced the applied focus of the launch: the hub was created to ensure that technologies are validated in real-world conditions and can move more quickly from concept to practical application. In this context, robotics is relevant as a tool that combines mobility in complex spaces, navigation, and safe interaction with people.
In aging research and geriatric scenarios, such systems can be valuable as infrastructure tools for:
- environmental monitoring and situational awareness (identifying potential risks, zone control, indoor supervision);
- supporting internal logistics and routine operations in research and educational spaces (guidance, telepresence, transport of small objects);
- applied motion assessment protocols in combination with gait analysis tools and sensor systems;
- educational and demonstration formats, where the robot serves as an intuitive interface between technology, researchers, and users.
The mission of Futurology is to ensure that robotics works with people and for people — in applied scenarios where technology supports safety, mobility, and everyday functionality.
Futurology extends its gratitude to Johns Hopkins University and the Geriatrics Engineering team for the invitation and the opportunity to take part in the opening of the new hub at the Bayview campus — a space dedicated to bringing together engineering, medicine, and the science of aging to create practical solutions that improve the quality of life for older adults.
