Wearable Airbag Technology for High Fall Risk

Overseen By Olivia Botonis, BS

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Shirley Ryan AbilityLab

Must not be taking: Anti-coagulants

Disqualifiers: Severe osteoporosis, Cognitive deficits, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial tests a new smart airbag system designed to reduce the impact of falls for people at high risk. The goal is to evaluate how well this wearable airbag technology prevents injuries from falls. The trial seeks participants who have had a stroke, Parkinson's disease, or are elderly with a history of falling, and who can walk, even with a device like a cane. Participants should be willing to use a smartphone and wear the airbag device as instructed. As an unphased trial, this study offers participants the chance to contribute to innovative safety technology that could significantly improve the quality of life for those at risk of falls.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial requires that individuals currently on anti-coagulants (blood thinners) cannot participate, so you would need to stop taking them to join the study.

What prior data suggests that this wearable airbag technology is safe for individuals with high fall risk?

Research has shown that wearable airbag technology has undergone safety testing and may help reduce injuries from falls. These airbags, worn around the hips, use motion sensors to detect an impending fall. Upon detection, the airbag rapidly inflates with CO2 to cushion the impact.

Studies have found that while these airbags can lessen the impact of a fall, they might not protect all body parts. Limited information exists on the comfort or acceptability of wearing these devices. However, no major safety issues have been reported, and the technology is generally considered safe for individuals at high risk of falling. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the wearable airbag technology because it offers a proactive approach to preventing injuries from falls, especially for those at high risk. Unlike other options like hip protectors or mobility aids, this technology acts instantly by deploying airbags to cushion a fall before impact, minimizing potential injuries. This immediate response mechanism sets it apart from traditional solutions, providing a new level of protection and peace of mind.

What evidence suggests that this wearable airbag technology is effective for high fall risk?

Research has shown that wearable airbag technology can significantly reduce injuries from falls, particularly hip injuries, in individuals prone to falling. Specifically, studies have found that this technology decreases the number of hip injuries and related healthcare needs in older adults who tend to fall. The airbag system senses an impending fall and inflates to cushion the impact, helping to prevent injury. Although it may not protect every part of the body, it effectively reduces harm from falls. Tests demonstrated that it reliably lessens the force of impact during a fall, which is crucial for user safety. ^{3 5 6 7 8}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Arun Jayaraman, PT, PhD

Principal Investigator

Shirley Ryan AbilityLab

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for English-speaking adults aged 18-85 with high fall risk due to conditions like Parkinson's disease, stroke, or being an elderly person prone to falls. Participants must be able to walk with assistance and follow instructions. They should not have severe osteoporosis, cognitive deficits (MMSE score <17), significant visual impairments, serious cardiac issues, or any condition that would interfere with the study.

Inclusion Criteria

English speaking

Willing to carry and use a smartphone and Airbag device

I am either mostly staying at home or able to walk around in the community.

Exclusion Criteria

I have been diagnosed with severe osteoporosis.

I am physically inactive and unfit.

Non-healing ulcers of a lower extremity, Renal dialysis or end-stage liver disease, Legal blindness or severe visual impairment, a history of significant psychiatric illness

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Optimization

Evaluation and optimization of pre-fall detection algorithms and usability of the smart airbag system

3 months

Efficacy Evaluation

Assessment of the smart airbag system's efficacy in mitigating real-world falls and its effect on community mobility

9 months

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after the main evaluation

4 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Wearable Airbag Technology

Trial Overview The study tests a wearable airbag system designed to detect and soften the impact of falls in high-risk individuals. Participants will wear this smart technology and use a smartphone alongside it as part of their daily routine to assess its effectiveness in real-life scenarios.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Shirley Ryan AbilityLab

Lead Sponsor

Trials

212

Recruited

17,900+

Citations

1. jneuroengrehab.biomedcentral.com jneuroengrehab.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12984-022-01040-4

Wearable airbag technology and machine learned models to ... We investigated whether population-specific training data and modeling parameters are required to pre-detect falls in a chronic stroke population.

2. withpower.com withpower.com/trial/wearable-airbag-technology-for-high-fall-risk-5a7b9

Wearable Airbag Technology for High Fall Risk Wearable airbag technology has been tested for safety, showing it can reduce impact during falls, but it may not protect all body parts. Some airbag systems ...

3. medrxiv.org medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.22.25328173v1.full-text

Enhancing Wearable Airbag Fall Detection Performance ... Real-world fall data were collected from 22 individuals (N = 12 stroke; N = 10 PD) wearing a waist-mounted wearable airbag device with inertial ...

4. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40887039/

Mitigating Hip Injuries in High-Risk Older Adults The wearable airbag belt significantly reduced fall-related hip injuries and associated health care utilization in high-risk older adults.

5. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1525861025003688

Mitigating Hip Injuries in High-Risk Older Adults: Clinical ... The wearable airbag belt significantly reduced fall-related hip injuries and associated health care utilization in high-risk older adults. These results suggest ...

6. sralab.org sralab.org/articles/blog/wearable-airbag-sensor-technology-could-help-predict-falls-cushion-impact

Wearable Airbag-sensor Technology Could Help Predict ... The wearable airbag system uses motion sensors to detect falls, then inflates a hip-worn airbag with CO2 to reduce impact force.

7. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9205156/

Wearable airbag technology and machine learned models to ... We investigated whether population-specific training data and modeling parameters are required to pre-detect falls in a chronic stroke population.

8. bmcgeriatr.biomedcentral.com bmcgeriatr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12877-025-05866-0

Case report of a hip-protecting, wearable airbag contributing ... Whilst these devices would appear to have great potential utility in high risk fallers, there is limited evidence supporting their acceptability ...