Wearable Shock-Absorbing Device with Multi-Sensor Fall Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional shock-absorbing devices for the human body are inconvenient to wear and lack effective impact absorption, often failing to detect falls accurately, leading to inadequate protection against injuries from excessive loads during falls.
Innovation Solution
A wearable shock-absorbing device featuring an airbag surrounded by a compressed gas cartridge, a foot sensor, an acceleration sensor, and a fall detection sensor, which rapidly inflates the airbag upon detecting a fall to minimize impact by actuating the compressed gas cartridge opener based on signals from the sensors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a passive shock-absorbing pad is applied to expected impact areas, then shock absorption is provided, but the device is inconvenient to wear and lacks effective impact absorption
Solution Approach 1:
The airbag is pre-inflated before impact occurs, positioning the cushioning material in advance at the expected impact location. This eliminates the need for the user to put on or adjust the device during the fall event, greatly improving wearing convenience while ensuring immediate impact absorption effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical strap-based suspension system with a magnetic suspension system. The magnetic field-based holding mechanism eliminates complex mechanical fasteners, making the device easier to wear and adjust while maintaining secure positioning during impact.
2Reliability
If conventional fall detection sensors are used, then fall detection is attempted, but the sensors fail to properly detect falls even when falls actually occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple sensor types (acceleration sensor, gyro sensor, and magnetic sensor) into an integrated detection system. By merging the data from these different sensor modalities, the system achieves more reliable and precise fall detection, overcoming the limitations of single-sensor conventional systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The detection system is designed with multi-functional capabilities, using the same sensor array to detect both falls and normal user movements. The system can distinguish between falls and voluntary movements through algorithmic analysis of the combined sensor data, improving detection accuracy without requiring separate specialized sensors.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If an airbag is inflated rapidly upon fall detection, then impact reduction is achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The airbag is pre-inflated to its full cushioning capacity before impact occurs. This preliminary inflation eliminates the need for complex real-time inflation control systems during the fall event, reducing overall device complexity while ensuring maximum impact reduction effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The magnetic suspension system automatically maintains the airbag in its operational position without requiring active control or adjustment during the fall. The magnetic fields self-adjust to compensate for position changes, eliminating the need for complex active control mechanisms while ensuring consistent impact protection.
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 device provides precise fall detection and efficient impact reduction, enhancing wearing comfort and reducing the risk of injuries and associated medical and social costs, making it suitable for elderly and high-risk activities.
Implementation Method 1
a compressed gas cartridge connected to the airbag and configured to store a gas to be injected into the airbag
Implementation Method 2
a compressed gas cartridge opener connected to the compressed gas cartridge and configured to eject the gas from the compressed gas cartridge
Implementation Method 3
a foot sensor placed at a foot of the human body and configured to sense and store a mass center of the human body
Implementation Method 4
an acceleration sensor configured to sense a motion of the human body
Implementation Method 5
a fall detection sensor connected to the foot sensor and the acceleration sensor and configured to determine whether or not the human body is falling based on detection signals received from the foot sensor and the acceleration sensor, respectively
Data Source
AI summary
A shock-absorbing device for a human body which can reduce an impact applied to the human body when a wearer falls is provided. The shock-absorbing device for the human body includes: i) an airbag configured to surround the human body; ii) a compressed gas cartridge connected to the airbag and configured to store a gas to be injected into the airbag; iii) a compressed gas cartridge opener connected to the compressed gas cartridge and configured to eject the gas from the compressed gas cartridge; iv) a foot sensor placed at a foot of the human body and configured to sense and store a mass center of the human body; v) an acceleration sensor configured to sense a motion of the human body; vi) a fall detection sensor connected to the foot sensor and the acceleration sensor and configured to determine whether or not the human body is falling based on detection signals received from the foot sensor and the acceleration sensor, respectively; and vii) a control unit configured to control opening of the compressed gas cartridge opener in response to a signal received from the fall detection sensor. When the mass center detected by the foot sensor deviates from a sensing area, the fall detection sensor sends a fall signal to the control unit. When motion acceleration of the human body exceeds predetermined acceleration, the fall detection sensor can send another fall signal to the control unit.