Photo: Matt Shearer/WBZ NewsRadio
WORCESTER Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — If you ever get frustrated when it’s taking too long for someone to cross the street, you may benefit from paying attention to the latest experiment that the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and M.I.T. are conducting to show people what it may be like to walk in someone else’s shoes.
WBZ NewsRadio’s Matt Shearer went to the Mass DOT’s Transportation Innovation Conference in Worcester to see how they are working closely with MIT experts to prove that getting across the street when you’re older may be much harder than you think.
“We have a VR headset that simulates what it's like to be in an urban environment with lots of distractions,” said Chris Carter, Mass DOT’s Chief Innovation Officer.
Taylor Patskanick from the MIT Age Lab suited Matt up for the experiment that was supposed to mimic the effects of aging. The experiment was successful in demonstrating that these everyday tasks such as crossing the street and getting in and out of a car, helped him build empathy for those who are more compromised when it comes to getting around.
“We’re trying to get people to be more empathetic [on the roadways],” Carter added.
WBZ NewsRadio’s Matt Shearer (@MattWBZ) reports
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