Photo: ActiveProtective
The first commercial airbags were introduced in passenger cars during the 1970s. We won’t start arguing who was first or who invented them, but we’ll tell you they remained in the automotive industry until recent years. Now, bike riders will be equipped with them and, as this company says here, elders could wear them too in order to break their fall.
A young person can fall and recover from a possible injury in quite a small period of time, but if a senior does the same, this could change their life as their organisms are weaker and can’t mend themselves as fast, or even not at all. That’s why Pennsylvania-based company ActiveProtective came up with this - a belt airbag.
The idea came when Dr. Robert Buckman (also chief technology officer at the company) noticed how many elderly people were coming to the hospital with broken hips due to falls. So he decided to create something that can break the impact and save bones.
The device can be worn like a belt, on the outside or beneath your clothing, and just as automotive airbags, it comes with a gas inflator that deploys a slab-like airbag down the sides of the hips of the person.
Using onboard 3D motion sensors, the airbag is able to deploy fast enough to reduce the impact to the hip bones by a claimed 90%. At least, that’s what simulations using a 90-years-old woman replica showed up.
Trials will begin again this year, with the company planning to sell the new product at the end of 2016. Until then, watch your steps!
The idea came when Dr. Robert Buckman (also chief technology officer at the company) noticed how many elderly people were coming to the hospital with broken hips due to falls. So he decided to create something that can break the impact and save bones.
The device can be worn like a belt, on the outside or beneath your clothing, and just as automotive airbags, it comes with a gas inflator that deploys a slab-like airbag down the sides of the hips of the person.
Using onboard 3D motion sensors, the airbag is able to deploy fast enough to reduce the impact to the hip bones by a claimed 90%. At least, that’s what simulations using a 90-years-old woman replica showed up.
Trials will begin again this year, with the company planning to sell the new product at the end of 2016. Until then, watch your steps!
Google News