As Older Population Grows, Massachusetts Angles to Become the Silicon Valley for 'Age-Tech'

A growing cluster of entrepreneurs are applying Massachusetts' celebrated mix of brainpower and technology prowess to potentially easing the burdens of growing old, reports the Boston Globe . Both elected officials and business leaders are hopeful this emerging industry will have huge potential for the state's economy and for aging populations worldwide. Earlier this month, a consortium that includes General Electric and the MIT AgeLab, working with Gov. Charlie Baker's administration, took the wraps off a global innovation challenge seeking to generate new ideas for technology-assisted aging. Baker detailed the "big opportunity" in an appearance at an AARP annual volunteer meeting this spring. Baker called for making the state the "Silicon Valley" for emerging products and services that reduce loneliness and social isolation for the senior population. Many are applauding this unconventional approach to economic development, which is focused less on a particular set of technologies and more on a rapidly growing demographic of people who are living longer, have disposable income, and often live far from family members who might be first responders in health emergencies. Startups so far include Boston-based Pillo, which has developed a robot that sits on a kitchen counter or nightstand, greets seniors in the morning, and reminds them to take their prescriptions; Eversound, which sells wireless headphones whose volume controls let older adults with varying levels of hearing loss exercise or watch movies together; and Rendever, which has developed software that can "transport" housebound seniors to such farflung locales as Africa and South America via virtual reality goggles.