Wearable sensors for reliable fall detection

Abstract

Unintentional falls are a common cause of severe injury in the elderly population. By introducing small, non-invasive sensor motes in conjunction with a wireless network, the Ivy Project aims to provide a path towards more independent living for the elderly. Using a small device worn on the waist and a network of fixed motes in the home environment, we can detect the occurrence of a fall and the location of the victim. Low-cost and low-power MEMS accelerometers are used to detect the fall while RF signal strength is used to locate the person.