title: Smart Carpet: Developing a sensor system to detect falls and summon assistance.
abstract: Cognitive deficits experienced by older adults with dementia limit use of wearable devices (necklaces or bracelets) that summon assistance after the older adult falls. To use these wearable devices, older adults must choose to wear them, remember how to use them, and be conscious after falling. Devices such as the Smart Carpet substitute pre-programmed or automatic functions for functions requiring deliberation and decision. After development of a Smart Carpet prototype, 11 volunteers participated in tests to measure sensitivity of sensors embedded in the Smart Carpet. The embedded sensors were not perceptible to the volunteers as they walked across the Smart Carpet and successfully detected gait characteristics. Findings confirmed the feasibility of fall detection. Measurements obtained of gait characteristics will be used in development of more advanced versions of the Smart Carpet.
authors.affiliation: Sinclair School of Nursing, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, Missouri 65211, USA. audm@missouri.edu
authors.forename: Myra A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Aud
authors.forename: Carmen C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Abbott
authors.forename: Harry W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Tyrer
authors.forename: Rohan Vasantha
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Neelgund
authors.forename: Uday G
authors.initials: UG
authors.lastname: Shriniwar
authors.forename: Ashrafuddin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mohammed
authors.forename: Krishna Kishor
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Devarakonda
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003704:Dementia / Q000451:nursing; D004867:Equipment Design; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005430:Floors and Floorcoverings; D005684:Gait; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D013686:Telemetry / Q000295:instrumentation*