Program Overview

The number of Americans ages 65 and older is projected to nearly double from 52 million in 2018 to 95 million by 2035. The same age group among the total population will rise from 16 percent to 23 percent (~1 in 4 is 65 & older). This age group (the baby boom generation) could have a more than 50 percent increase in the number of Americans requiring nursing home care, from 1.2 million in 2017 to about 1.9 million by 2030 [Data from the U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey and Population Projections]. Demand for elderly care will also be driven by a steep rise in the number of Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease, which could more than double by 2050 to 13.8 million, from 5.8 million at present. In addition, there is a growing shortage in the nursing profession. Population aging will stretch resources to the limit in communities, healthcare systems, and aged care providers. 

Robotics integrated with A.I. technology (aka assistive technology) could help better support older adults and free up healthcare resources to handle the current traditional services. Associate Dean Raymond K. Yee collaborated with faculty from the College of Health and Human Sciences (CoH&HS) to develop an MS degree program specializing in healthcare engineering for the aging population (30-unit program), which San Jose State University approved in March. 

This graduate program aims to equip a new generation of engineers with a passion for healthcare and the knowledge and skills to design and manufacture intelligent healthcare robotics systems/devices for industries serving senior populations. The MSE program is designed to develop a professional workforce in engineering for the healthcare technology and care-provider industry. As a conjectured benefit, this program would also be helpful to rehab and disabled folks. The idea is to integrate engineering/technology into humanity to mitigate the impact of an anticipated healthcare crisis in American society. Our motto is “Live Smarter, Not Harder!”