Fall detection and walking estimation using floor vibration for solitary elderly people

In this study, we propose a system that detects falls and estimates walking conditions for elderly people living alone. This system uses floor vibration measured by microphone sensors installed on the floor of an elderly person's home, and it detects falls and walking from the frequency characteristic of the floor vibration. Furthermore, it estimates the walking condition using a method of estimating the sound sources with multiple microphone sensors. To demonstrate the usefulness of the proposed system, an experiment of fall / walk detection with one healthy person and a walking condition estimation experiment were conducted in a model room in a facility for the elderly in Fukui Prefecture. As a result, all falls and walks under arbitrary conditions were able to be detected, and the estimation of the walking state was able to be partially achieved.