Artificial Neural Networks as an alternative to traditional fall detection methods

Annu Int Conf IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc. 2013:2013:1648-51. doi: 10.1109/EMBC.2013.6609833.

Abstract

Falls are common events among older adults and may have serious consequences. Automatic fall detection systems are becoming a popular tool to rapidly detect such events, helping family or health personal to rapidly help the person that falls. This paper presents the results obtained in the process of testing a new fall detection method, based on Artificial Neural Networks (ANN). This method intends to improve fall detection accuracy, by avoiding the traditional threshold - based fall detection methods, and introducing ANN as a suitable option on this application.Also ANN have low computational cost, this characteristic makes them easy to implement on a portable device, comfortable to be wear by the patient.

MeSH terms

  • Accelerometry / instrumentation
  • Accelerometry / methods*
  • Accidental Falls / statistics & numerical data*
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Body Weight
  • Electronic Data Processing
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neural Networks, Computer*
  • Young Adult