With the acceleration of global aging, the health and safety of the elderly have increasingly drawn attention. Falls are a major threat to the physical and mental health and quality of life of older adults, potentially leading to severe consequences such as fractures and craniocerebral injuries, increasing their risk of death, and imposing heavy burdens on families and society. Relevant data show that the annual fall incidence rate among adults aged 65 and above in China is as high as 30%, and this figure rises with age. How to effectively prevent falls in the elderly has become an urgent social issue. Today, with the rapid development of technology, radar modules, as an advanced sensing technology, are gradually being applied to the field of fall prevention for the elderly, providing innovative solutions to this challenge.
I. The Severe of Falls among the Elderly
Falls are the fourth leading cause of injury-related deaths in China and the primary cause among adults aged 65 and above. The mortality rate from falls among the elderly increases sharply with age. In Australia, 30% of adults aged 65 and above fall at least once each year. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 30% of Americans aged 65 and above experienced falls annually in 2006. China has entered an aging society, with 150 million people aged 65 and above. Based on a 30% incidence rate, more than 40 million elderly people fall at least once each year.
The causes of falls in the elderly are multi-faceted:
Physiological Factors: Declining physical functions weaken muscle strength, reduce joint flexibility, and impair balance; diminished vision and hearing affect their ability to judge and detect environments and obstacles; cardiovascular issues such as hypertension and arrhythmia may cause dizziness and fatigue, increasing fall risks.
Pathological Factors: Neurological diseases like Parkinson’s and stroke affect limb control and coordination; osteoporosis weakens bones, increasing the severity of fractures after falls; chronic diseases like diabetes may cause peripheral neuropathy, affecting foot sensation; declining cognitive function slows reaction speeds and reduces the ability to handle emergencies.
Medication-Related Factors: Certain medications may cause adverse reactions such as drowsiness, dizziness, and orthostatic hypotension, including psychotropic drugs, cardiovascular medications, antihypertensives, hypoglycemics, diuretics, analgesics, and antiparkinsonian drugs.
Environmental Factors: Unsafe living environments, such as slippery floors, dim lighting, and cluttered spaces, significantly increase the risk of falls.
II. Working Principles and Advantages of Radar Technology
Radar is an electronic device that detects targets using electromagnetic waves, operating on the principle of transmitting and receiving electromagnetic waves. In fall prevention for the elderly, radar modules typically emit electromagnetic waves of specific frequencies. When these waves encounter targets like the human body, they reflect back. The radar module receives the reflected echoes and analyzes their characteristics (such as time delay, frequency change, and phase shift) to obtain information about the target, including distance from the emission point, range rate (radial velocity), azimuth, angle, and human posture and movements.
Compared with other sensing technologies, radar modules offer significant advantages in fall monitoring for the elderly:
1. Wide Monitoring Range: They have long sensing distances and broad angles, enabling large-area monitoring without dead zones to capture the elderly’s activities comprehensively.
2. Penetration Capability: Radar waves can penetrate common obstacles like glass and thin wooden boards, allowing unobstructed monitoring in complex indoor environments without interference from barriers.
3. Environmental Stability: Almost unaffected by factors such as temperature, humidity, dust, light, or static states, radar modules feature high stability and reliability for continuous and accurate monitoring.
4. Non-Contact Monitoring: This technology avoids the constraints and discomfort of wearable devices, reduces risks of skin allergies from equipment, and protects privacy, allowing the elderly to move freely in daily life.
III. Application Scenarios of Radar Modules in Elderly Fall Prevention
(一) Home Scenarios
Bedroom: Installed on the ceiling or walls, radar modules monitor the elderly’s status during sleep. For example, they can detect nighttime bathroom trips to prevent falls due to poor lighting or disorientation. If abnormal prolonged stillness or postures (e.g., sliding out of bed) are detected, the module immediately alerts family members to prevent accidents.
Bathroom: A high-risk area for falls due to wet floors and mobility challenges during toileting or bathing. Radar modules can detect fall events by monitoring activity trajectories and posture changes. Upon detection, they trigger alarms (e.g., loud alerts from smart speakers) and send real-time location and time updates to family members’ phones. They can also integrate with lighting and ventilation systems for intelligent control (e.g., automatic lighting and ventilation when occupied).
Living Room: Radar modules monitor daily activities such as walking, standing, and sitting, analyzing posture in real time to trigger alarms for instability or falls. They also record activity times and trajectories, which family members can review via a mobile app to track daily routines and detect health-related anomalies.
(二) Senior Care Facility Scenarios
Resident Rooms: Installed in rooms, radar modules allow caregivers to monitor residents’ statuses in real time via a unified platform.alarms (sound and light alerts) activate immediately for falls or abnormalities, prompting rapid response. Integration with information management systems aggregates health data and activity patterns to inform personalized care plans and improve service quality.
Public Areas: In corridors, stairwells, and activity rooms, radar modules monitor elderly residents in high-traffic zones, notifying staff promptly for falls or health issues. They also analyze foot traffic and activity trends to optimize resource allocation and public area management.
