AI Is Giving Physical Therapy a Robotic Makeover - Newsweek
AI Is Giving Physical Therapy a Robotic Makeover - Newsweek
摘要: By
Claudia Tanner
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Claudia Tanner
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.
Prefer Newsweek on Google
to see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
Physical therapy can be critical to recovery, but many patients cannot access it as often as they need due to a growing shortage of therapists and an aging population. Researchers believe
could help address this challenge by expanding access to rehabilitation.
For patients recovering from stroke, surgery or serious injury, the technology could provide real-time feedback during home exercises and alert therapists if recovery stalls.
Newsweek
recently released its ranking of
America's Best Physical Rehabilitation Centers 2026
, developed in partnership with Statista.
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Health Care
Experts at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology developed an AI-powered robotic therapy system that learns directly from human therapists.
Like a human therapist, it provides personalized assistance that adapts to each patient’s needs. By combining camera recordings of therapists’ movements with wearable force sensors that measure the forces they apply, the
learn physical interaction—how to respond to touch, force and resistance.
Unlike systems focused only on movement, these robots can adjust their support in real time: helping when patients struggle and stepping back as they become more independent.
MIT postdoctoral researcher Johannes Lachner, who developed the system, told
Newsweek
: “Robotic assistance will allow patients to practice exercises more often while still receiving support tailored to their abilities.
“Our goal is to take a step toward more accessible and personalized physical rehabilitation, giving more patients the opportunity to regain movement and independence.”
The development reflects a broader trend across the field, where AI is increasingly being used to analyze patient movement, automate assessments and monitor recovery between