A Fall Intervention/mobility Aid System For Elderly And Rehabilitative Populations

A novel mobility-aid system called Fall-SafeTM has been developed to assist elderly and rehabilitative populations as well as to safely intervene and provide protection in the event of a fall. Its design is self-powered and is intended for use in nursing facilities, hospitals, and rehabilitation centers. An advanced, battery-powered version is also being developed for patient assistance and residential use. The Fall-SafeTM system is based on many years of research and development, which has included both analytical and experimental investigations into the accelerations and forces generated by human falls. This research has emphasized protection from fractures of the femur and hip due to falls, which are so common among the elderly. The system is also expected to promote independence by providing a safer means of ambulation and exercise, not only for the aged, but also for individuals recovering from surgery. The development of this new system has been sponsored by the National Institute on Aging under Phase I and I1 SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) grants and has been used in pilot clinical trials under the direction of staff at Johns Hopkins.