An integrated fall detection system with GSM module

Accidental falls in a domestic environment are the main cause of casualty among older people. A very important problem is represented by the fact that, after a fall, the person is seldom capable to call for help, and delays in assistance lead to the worsening of fall consequences, which also result in psychological insecurity and the need of continue assistance. For this reason a wearable fall detection system is presented in this work. A small sized and low power consumption board with a microcontroller, an accelerometer and a GSM module was designed, allowing the use also in outdoor scenarios, everywhere the GSM signal is available. A particular algorithm is used to distinguish a fall from activities of daily living (ADLs), that present an acceleration pattern similar to a fall, and to therefore reduce the probability of false alarms. © 2013 The authors and IOS Press. All rights reserved.