Radar sensor could predict Alzheimer’s and fall accidents

The team, at Chalmers University of Technology, said its radar sensor can read a person’s walking pattern and can be attached to furniture, walls and ceilings in the home and in healthcare settings.

“Our method is both precise and easy to use. It can help healthcare staff to carry out a more reliable risk analysis and tailor interventions to achieve a significant effect early on. Hopefully it can help to solve a growing challenge for society,” said Xuezhi Zeng, a researcher in biomedical electromagnetics at Chalmers University of Technology.

Fall accidents and cognitive illnesses such as Alzheimer’s disease are increasing as the population ages. Preventive measures can reduce both suffering and costs.

In Sweden, around 100,000 people aged 65 or over have such bad falls each year that they require medical care, with 70,000 of them needing to be admitted to hospital. Approximately 1,000 elderly people die each year due to fall accidents. In the USA it is estimated that three million elderly people seek care in an emergency department due to fall accidents each year.