title: Detection of falls using accelerometers and mobile phone technology.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  to study the sensitivity and specificity of fall detection using mobile phone technology.
  
  
  METHODS
  an experimental investigation using motion signals detected by the mobile phone.
  
  
  METHODS
  the research was conducted in a laboratory setting, and 18 healthy adults (12 males and 6 females; age = 29 ± 8.7 years) were recruited.
  
  
  METHODS
  each participant was requested to perform three trials of four different types of simulated falls (forwards, backwards, lateral left and lateral right) and eight other everyday activities (sit-to-stand, stand-to-sit, level walking, walking up- and downstairs, answering the phone, picking up an object and getting up from supine). Acceleration was measured using two devices, a mobile phone and an independent accelerometer attached to the waist of the participants.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Bland-Altman analysis shows a higher degree of agreement between the data recorded by the two devices. Using individual upper and lower detection thresholds, the specificity and sensitivity for mobile phone were 0.81 and 0.77, respectively, and for external accelerometer they were 0.82 and 0.96, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  fall detection using a mobile phone is a feasible and highly attractive technology for older adults, especially those living alone. It may be best achieved with an accelerometer attached to the waist, which transmits signals wirelessly to a phone.
authors: Roehampton University-Life Sciences, London, UK. R.Lee@roehampton.ac.uk
authors: Raymond Y W
authors: RY
authors: Lee
authors: Alison J
authors: AJ
authors: Carlisle