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Fall Detector for the Elder

Project description


ICT Solutions for Fall prevention, and ICT and Ageing network

The ultimate goal of FATE - FAll DeTector for the Elderly project is to widely validate an innovative and efficient ICT-based solution focused on improving the elder's quality of life by an accurate detection of falls in ageing people, both at home and outdoors. This will be done by implementing an accurate, portable and usable fall detector that runs a complex and specific algorithm to accurately detect falls, and a robust and reliable telecommunications layer based in ZigBee and Bluetooth technologies, capable of sending alarms when the user is both inside and outside the home. The system will be complemented by secondary elements such as a bed presence sensor or the i- Walker, an intelligent robotic walker, with the entire system ensuring successful prevention and detection of falls in all circumstances. The system will be tested and validated in 3 pilot studies involving real living scenarios, one in each of 3 different EU countries (Spain, Italy and Ireland), in close collaboration with the relevant public authorities (regional authorities in Spain, municipalities in Italy and National authorities in Ireland). For the sake of an efficient and significant validation, the pilot test will select 175 individuals with high risk of falling.

Data concerning falls in the ageing people and their devastating consequences show this is a health problem of first magnitude that needs an urgent contribution and solution.FATE "Fall Detector for the Elder" is a project with a very well identified objective: the correct detection of the falls occurring with elderly people. Apart of the identification of the falls, FATE complementary main objectives are the contribution to the reduction of the fear of falling and the prevention of the long lie syndrome.The FATE system will be able to detect falls both at home and outside. The system consists on a highly sensitive fall detector based in accelerometers running a specific detection algorithm, with sensitivity of 98.88% and specificity of near 100% in fall detection. This main element is complemented by a telecommunications layer based in wireless technologies, able to send alarms when the falls are produced both at home and outside home via 3G or GPRS protocol. Detected falls will be automatically communicated to relatives or health providers (112) through the specific call centers. If the user is outside home, the mobile phone will also send the location through antenna triangulation.In persons suffering the biggest gait difficulties, the system will be also complemented by the i-Walker, an intelligent walker designed to minimize the risk of falls of those elders with greatest gait difficulties.FATE will be tested through three big pilots in three different countries (Spain, Ireland and Italy) with different, but complementary, Health management system approaches and models.

Programme(s)

Topic(s)

Call for proposal

CIP-ICT-PSP-2011-5
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Funding Scheme

PB - Pilot Type B

Coordinator

UNIVERSITAT POLITECNICA DE CATALUNYA
EU contribution
€ 585 305,00
Address
CALLE JORDI GIRONA 31
08034 Barcelona
Spain

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Region
Este Cataluña Barcelona
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Administrative Contact
Mercedes Torrellas (Ms.)
Links
Total cost
No data

Participants (10)

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Last update: 25 April 2017

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Permalink: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/297178

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