Many of today’s amazfit fall detection  offer a slew of sophisticated functions that can make them more than just a fashion accessory. Some include a fall detection function that notifies emergency contacts and dials 911 if it senses the user has fallen.

The products evaluated all use accelerometers and gyroscopes to distinguish between movement and a fall. Using a regularized logistic regression model, the data is then analyzed to determine when the wearer has likely fallen. The result is an alert that can be triggered either automatically (if the algorithm determines it’s a fall) or manually by pressing the button.

Beyond Steps: Assessing Fitbit’s Fall Detection Technology in Detail

While none of the products we tested are perfect, they all manage to detect a substantial number of falls and stumbles and are able to notify someone about them promptly. However, it’s important to remember that these products are not clinically accurate enough for medical purposes at this time. In addition, most of these devices also have some level of false alarms and missed falls.

During the 90-day trial, a research team member would contact participants or their designated caregivers immediately following a detected fall or stumble to verify the event and collect information on the participant’s wellbeing. They would also ask the participants to describe their experience with the fall detection feature and gather feedback. In some cases, the research team would also follow up with a semi structured interview of the participant to evaluate the experience of using the device.

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