German technology firm Future-Shape has created a conductive rug called the ‘SensFloor’ that sends a call for help when it detects that someone has fallen.
The 2-millimeter-thin textile underlay can be fitted under carpets or other floor coverings like tiles and parquet, and works by measuring changes to the electric field through capacitive proximity sensors. Radio modules imbedded in the fabric track the speed and direction of movements and convey the information to a separate control unit, which analyzes it in real time.
The smart rug can distinguish between a standing and fallen person based on the area and motion detected, and can even tell the difference between spilled liquids and people.
The creators believe the ‘SensFloor’ can be used to discreetly monitor the elderly or people living alone. The rug was recently installed in a nursing home in Alsace, France. It monitors 70 rooms and turns a light on when a resident steps on the floor, and calls the nurses’ station when it detects that someone has fallen.
Alex Steinhage, SensFloor research and development director, said in an interview with Dezeen, “In the first four months, we had 28 falls discovered by our system and none were false alarms. One nurse told us that she wouldn’t have seen one of the falls because the person fell on the far side of the bed where she wouldn’t have been discovered.”
Would you like such a rug for yourself or your elderly parents or relatives?
[via Dezeen]