The development of anti-fall functional clothing for elderly

Objective

The consequences of falls in the elderly are severe, ranging from skin abrasion to hip fracture, which is very easy to cause death. Using advanced technology to develop anti-fall clothing that meets the needs of the elderly can play a significant role in protecting the elderly. By reviewing and analyzing the existing literature on the importance of fall protection clothing in reducing falls and protecting the body of the elderly, it is hoped to explore further research that needs improvement.

Methods

Guided by the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses, eight related studies were identified through Web of Science, Scopus and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure. The research objects, approaches, material and equipment, protection principle, and survey results are extracted.

Results

Two articles verified the fall detection algorithm adopted in the research through experiments, which significantly improved fall detection accuracy. Six papers found that selecting appropriate cushioning materials can effectively reduce the consequences of falls of the elderly through experimental comparative analysis. Finally, three attributes for significant design value are drawn: (1) size and fit; (2) cushioning materials; (3) wearable sensing elements.

Conclusions

Anti-fall clothing can effectively protect the elderly when they fall. Further design experiments are needed to select appropriate cushioning materials and wearable sensing elements based on anthropometry and aesthetics to design the style and structure of the garment to achieve the purpose of protecting the elderly.