Falls and new technologies part 2: sensor-based prediction of future falls

We recently published the result of a breakthrough study with the Oregon Center for Aging & Technology (ORCATECH) team: Piau A, et al. When will my patient fall? Sensor-based in-home walking speed identifies future falls in older adults. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31095283

Falls are still a major burden for older adults. We may be able to answer the question “Will my patient fall?” but we do not know when the fall will occur. Digital biomarker can offer new insight. Using 3 years data of in-home PIR sensors we were able to provide previously unattainable walking metrics. While basic clinical tests were not able to differentiate who will prospectively fall, we measured a significant decline in walking speed metrics sensitive to indicating subsequent falls in the following weeks. Our study is the first to provide evidence of a risk ‘digital biomarker’ of a future fall. This work opens perspectives for real-time measurements. Determining who within the at-risk population may be experiencing a modification to their baseline risk could be essential for more effective and timely intervention.