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FallGown Soft Pneumatic Fall-Prevention Device Test Results Released

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Megan C. Coram and other researchers published a paper on arXiv introducing FallGown, a soft pneumatic wearable fall-prevention device. The device consists of pressurized airbags inside a fabric shell and can support the user's full body weight to prevent falls; when stowed, it weighs 6.9 kg and has a volume of 0.051 cubic meters, with an average donning time of less than 2.5 minutes and doffing time of less than 0.5 minutes. Single-user fall-prevention tests showed a trade-off between device size and tipping resistance: a configuration with a base, 12 airbags, and a skirt-bottom diameter of 1.4 meters prevented all falls except for one mechanical failure. An optional rolling base can reduce friction with the ground, but it reduces portability and reduces skirt deformation (the latter helps with passing through narrow spaces such as doors). Onboard pressure sensors can sense the user's weight distribution, which the researchers say opens possibilities for monitored exercise and adaptive support.