Magic Carpet: Researchers Develop Floor Covering to Sense and Prevent Falls

There are many devices on the market -- watch the infomercials that begin running around 2 a.m. -- that allow elderly customers to alert emergency responders when they've fallen and they can't get up. Now, the very carpet one stands on could track your steps and sense if one turns into a stumble.

The product, which New Scientist calls "smart carpet," was developed by researchers at the University of Manchester who dub it a "magic carpet."

According to the university statement, plastic optical fibers underneath the carpet itself create a map and sense their walking patterns. Not only being able to detect a fall, the technology could also detect changes in gait over time in order to prevent situations where a person might be susceptible to falling.

The carpet is being geared toward communities housing elderly people where 30 to 40 percent of residents will fall each year.

“The carpet can be retrofitted at low cost, to allow living space to adapt as the occupiers’ needs evolve – particularly relevant with an aging population and for those with long term disabilities – and incorporated non-intrusively into any living space or furniture surface such as a mattress or wall that a patient interacts with," Patricia Scully said in a statement.

She also noted the carpet could have sensors to pick up biochemical information on patients as well.

“This is really exciting work at the forefront of research using technologies to prevent falls and represents an unique collaboration between scientists from different backgrounds working together to identity a smart solution to an important problem for our country and indeed all over the world," university professor Chris Todd said in a statement.

The team presented their research at the Photon 12 conference Tuesday.

Featured image via Shutterstock.com.