Design of a Wearable Balance Control Indicator

Each year, one in three elderly fall. Studies show that many factors contribute to an elderly person\u27s risk of falling, but if the factors causing imbalance are improved, a person\u27s risk of falling may be reduced. A device that detects and alerts the user of an off-balance situation before the fall occurs could identify a specific need for improved balance control. This MQP describes the design, testing, and verification of a prototype wearable device that is worn on the right hip during the sit-to-stand activity (STS) to detect and notify the user of an unbalanced STS. By signaling an off-balance situation during STS, our device notifies the user of poor balance control and identifies the need for balance control improvement