In an interview with Amy Crawford of the Boston Globe, Joseph Coughlin, director of the MIT AgeLab, discusses new ideas for employment and retirement as the population continues to age. “We need those 50-plus people to provide the working knowledge that keeps our organizations and systems functioning,” Coughlin says.
Researchers at MIT will begin studying how Boston-area drivers interact with driver assistance systems, reports Aarian Marshall for Wired. Research Engineer Bryan Reimer explains that he and his colleagues hope to gain a better understanding for how, “driving is beginning to transform from one where the human has primary oversight responsibility to one where the human is actively engaged in a robotic interaction with the vehicle.”
In an article for The Atlantic, Joe Coughlin, director of the AgeLab, writes that tech companies often mistakenly view older adults “as a singular, homogenous population that depends on the largesse of others to survive because it can’t provide for itself.” If companies treated older adults like they treat other consumers, they could live not only longer lives, but better lives, suggests Coughlin.
Joseph Coughlin, director of the AgeLab, writes for Forbes that older female consumers are powerful, yet products geared toward them are poorly marketed. “The insights that occur to this particular consumer group are powerful enough to raze major companies to the ground — and raise new ones out of the rubble,” writes Coughlin.
In a WBUR segment about how technology is increasingly being used to assist seniors and caregivers, Rachel Zimmerman highlights Rendever, an MIT spinout, and speaks with Prof. Paul Osterman, Prof. Dina Katabi and Dr. Joseph Coughlin about their work. Zimmerman explains that Coughlin believes “a mix of smart devices and other personal services,” will help people age well.
Joseph Coughlin, director of the AgeLab, writes for Forbes that lifelong education is a key component to job security and retirement planning, highlighting MIT’s online education offerings and MicroMasters programs. “People with the willingness and agility to learn new skills…are the most resilient players in an economy defined by sudden technological shifts and the rapid accumulation of new knowledge.”
Research engineer Bryan Reimer speaks with Chuck Tannert of Fast Company about the need for more investment in technology that can help make cars safer. “It is clear that safety on the nation’s roads is in question, necessitating a review of investments to double down on what is working and innovate where needed,” Reimer explains.
WGBH reporter Robin Washington examines a new study by researchers from the MIT AgeLab, which examined how accurately salespeople explained new car safety features. “We found that there is a lot of variability in how dealerships are communicating advanced safety systems to consumers,” says Research Specialist Hillary Abraham.
As the population ages and the labor force decreases, the U.S. can remain one of the world’s youngest populations with continued immigration, write Joseph Coughlin, director of the AgeLab, and research associate Luke Yoquinto. “There is broad agreement that slashing the raw number of immigrants to the U.S. would be an economic mistake.”
Wired reporter Aarian Marshall writes that researchers from the MIT AgeLab are examining driver behavior in an effort to reduce distracted driving fatalities. The researcher developed an algorithm that can help predict crashes based on driver behavior, which could eventually be used to “build and then test products that are safe to use in the car.”
Wired reporter Aarian Marshall writes that AgeLab researchers are studying how drivers interact with their phones, in an effort to reduce fatalities caused by distracted driving. Research scientist Bruce Mehler explains that researchers are, “focused on taking a really fresh look at the whole design approach to evaluating human-machine interfaces in the car."
Joseph Coughlin, director of the AgeLab director, writes for Forbes about how many people are fearful of a “retirement future in which they are no longer meaningfully involved in the world.” Coughlin and his colleagues found that retirement FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), “may be leading many to delay retirement or, in some cases, to avoid the subject altogether.”
Research engineer Bryan Reimer speaks with Asma Khalid and Tanya Mosely of Radio Boston about a study showing that consumers are growing less comfortable with the prospect of autonomous vehicles.
A study from the AgeLab found that most people would not buy a completely driverless car. “Respondents said they're uncomfortable with the loss of control and don't trust the technology. They also don't feel self-driving cars are safe,” writes Zeninjor Enwemeka for WBUR.
In this MarketWatch video, Joseph Coughlin, director of the AgeLab, explains how investors can ensure they save enough for retirement. In addition to regularly putting aside money, Coughlin advises that millennials should also invest in core skills and professional development “so that they are able to stay in the workforce for as long as possible.”