A belt with AIRBAGS that predict when someone is about to fall and inflate in 80 milliseconds could be a life-saver for the elderly The company claims the device absorbs 90 per cent of the impact of a fall The $790 belt (UK price to be confirmed) is equipped with two airbags Unlike most protection pads it anticipates a fall rather than cushioning impact New device will be available for pre-orders in March across Europe and in the US in September A belt with airbags that inflate as soon as it senses the wearer is about to fall could reduce the chance of elderly people breaking their hips. The $790 belt (UK price to be confirmed) is equipped with two airbags that inflate above the hips to absorb impact - and they take just 80 milliseconds to blow up, designers say. The company claims the device absorbs 90 per cent of the impact of a fall and unlike most hip protection pads it anticipates a fall rather than cushioning impact. Last year a study found old people who break their hip face nearly three times the danger of dying in the year afterwards. The $790 belt (UK price to be confirmed) is equipped with airbags that inflate above the hips to absorb impact - and they take just 0.2 seconds to detect something is wrong, designers say HOW DOES IT WORK? The $790 belt (UK price to be confirmed) is equipped with two airbags that inflate above the hips to absorb impact - and they take just 0.2 seconds to detect something is wrong, designers say. According to the company, the average fall takes 0.4 seconds and the bag detects someone is falling in just 0.2 seconds and deploys the bags in 80 milliseconds. Although the technology is still too new for a clinical trial the company claims it is nine times better at absorbing impact force than traditional protection pads. The gas canisters need to be replaced after each fall, at a cost of $50 (UK price to be confirmed). The Dijon-based company Helite specialises in airbags for extreme sports such as horse riding and flying light aircraft. Their new Hip'Air airbag, which is being unveiled at the Consumer Electronics show (CES) in Las Vegas, is designed to be deployed straight after it senses the wearer falling. According to the company, the average fall takes 0.4 seconds and the bag detects someone is falling in just 0.2 seconds, writes Huffington Post. The belt attaches using a simple click and if it has been put on incorrectly it beeps until the position is correct. Although the technology is still too new for a clinical trial the company claims it is nine times better at absorbing impact force than traditional protection pads. The gas canisters need to be replaced after each fall, at a cost of $50 (UK price to be confirmed). Source
