Sensitive new fall detection device ‘offers benefits for older people’

A new pressure-sensing fall detection device has shown potential to help older people live more safely and independently.

Developed by scientists at SINTEF, the largest independent research organisation in Scandinavia, the detector functions by comparing pressure changes between a sensor attached to the user's upper body and others installed at various points around the house.

When the pressure in the sensor attached to the body rises, the device logs it as a fall, regardless of how rapidly or slowly it takes place. As such, it is much more sensitive than current devices, which usually work by measuring absolute atmospheric pressure.

The new system will be much more effective in detecting sinking falls, in which the person may simply slide down a wall or off the edge of a bed, rather than tumbling at a rapid speed.

It will make it easier to detect accidents or medical emergencies in the home, ensuring older people can live alone while still being sure of receiving aid when it is needed.

SINTEF scientist Anders Liverud said: "We believe that this fall detector will offer elderly people a sense of security that will enable them to lead an active life without supervision."