Autonomous Fall Monitor Sensor Fusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current fall detection technologies struggle to accurately monitor and differentiate between hard and soft falls, near-falls, and rest states, particularly in scenarios outside the home environment, and fail to detect near-fall events or provide adequate alerts for emergency situations.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a communicator with triaxial accelerometers, high-sensitivity pressure sensors, and gyroscopes that monitor translational and rotational movements, changes in height, and biological functions, enabling the detection of hard, soft, and near-fall events, with a transceiver for autonomous notification and data logging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If accelerometer-based waist-worn devices are used to detect hard falls, then detection capability for high-g impact falls is improved, but the ability to detect soft falls, near-falls, and differentiate from rest states deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple sensor types (accelerometers, gyroscopes, barometric pressure sensors) into an integrated monitoring system. This merging of sensing capabilities allows the system to detect both hard falls through accelerometer data and soft falls/near-falls through barometric pressure changes, while gyroscopes provide orientation context to differentiate from rest states.
Solution Approach 2:
The monitoring system is designed to perform multiple detection functions simultaneously: detecting hard falls, soft falls, near-falls, and distinguishing these events from normal rest states. The system universally monitors body orientation and movement across diverse scenarios including elderly persons, emergency workers, and athletes.
2Reliability
If prior fall detection systems are used, then hard fall detection is achieved, but the ability to monitor body orientation and detect near-fall events deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary monitoring of body orientation and movement patterns to detect near-fall events before they result in actual falls. By continuously tracking orientation changes and movement characteristics, the system can identify precursors to falls such as stumbling or loss of balance, enabling early intervention before impact occurs.
3Device complexity
If simple accelerometer-based devices are used, then device complexity is reduced, but the capability to discriminate between sitting, standing, and falling states deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adds barometric pressure sensing as another dimension of measurement to complement accelerometer data. While accelerometers provide information about movement and orientation in three spatial dimensions, the barometric sensor adds vertical height information, enabling more accurate discrimination between sitting, standing, and falling states by detecting changes in altitude relative to the environment.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively discriminates between various fall types and rest states, providing reliable alerts for both hard and soft falls, as well as near-falls, and allows for autonomous monitoring and notification, enhancing safety for individuals and animals in diverse environments.
Implementation Method 1
The device may further comprise one or more triaxial accelerometers
Implementation Method 2
wherein the one or more altimeters may comprise a high sensitivity pressure sensor
Implementation Method 3
The device may further comprise one or more gyroscopes
Data Source
AI summary
A system, a method and an apparatus for autonomous monitoring, detecting and tracking of movement and orientation of a body or portion of a body. The apparatus comprises a device configured to monitor the translational and/or rotational movement of the body; and an altimeter configured to measure changes in height of the body. An alert condition is determined based on the translational and/or rotational movement of the body and changes in height of the body or portion of the body. The alert condition may comprise a hard fall event, a soft fall event, a susceptibility to a fall, or a near fall event.