My late father was unsurprisingly annoyed at his lack of mobility at an advanced age, and I commiserated with him by lamenting how impractical an orbital care home would be, but also how useful it would be from the perspective of getting around. There would be other problems with this due to stuff like osteoporosis and oedema, and in any case it would be bloody expensive, but there may be an alternative.

When we encounter considerable mobility problems, we should be suited up in spacesuit-like garments and immersed in a warm viscous fluid providing us with neutral buoyancy. This would be expensive, but still cheaper than going into space. We could glide around our fluid-filled dwellings without so many problems and the resistance provided by the fluid would prevent atrophy. When we want to eat and drink, we can stick our heads above the surface and partake of food and drink, and we can also have the whole built-in toilet thing astronauts have with nappies and stuff, only needing to be changed every now and again. I mean, this is the big flaw in my idea really. Not sure what to do about it.
-- nineteenthly, Dec 24 2023

If the purpose of the fluid is merely to support the body then I would of thought that a powered exoskeleton system would be more efficient and less obtrusive.

In fact it could be an endoskeleton seeing how common joint replacements are. Fit them with motors, and add cabling conduit while you have the incision open, and as budget allows you could gradually power up all the major joints. Hard points could be left proud of the skin to facilitate the adding of exoskeleton components for example to support the spine (seeing as spine replacements are not yet really a thing)
-- pocmloc, Dec 24 2023


ew[-]
-- Voice, Dec 24 2023



random, halfbakery