September 9, 2013

Wireless Network Detects Falls by the Elderly



University of Utah electrical engineers have developed a network of wireless sensors that can detect a person falling. This monitoring technology could be linked to a service that would call emergency help for the elderly without requiring them to wear monitoring devices.

For people age 65 and older, falling is a leading cause of injury and death. Most fall-detection devices monitor a person’s posture or require a person to push a button to call for help. However, these devices must be worn at all times. A 2008 study showed 80 percent of elderly adults who owned call buttons didn’t use the device when they had a serious fall, largely because they hadn’t worn it at the time of the fall.