Method for detecting potential falls and a fall detector

Abstract

There is provided a fall detector for detecting a potential fall by a user, the fall detector comprising a sensor for measuring the skin conductivity of the user; and a processor for analyzing the skin conductivity measurements to determine whether the user has had a potential fall, wherein the processor is configured to analyze the skin conductivity measurements by matching the skin conductivity measurements to a predetermined skin conductivity response corresponding to a stressful event.

1 . A fall detector for detecting a potential fall by a user, the fall detector comprising:
 a sensor for measuring the skin conductivity of the user; and   a processor for analyzing the skin conductivity measurements to determine whether the user has had a potential fall, wherein the processor is configured to use a matched filter to match the skin conductivity measurements to a predetermined skin conductivity response corresponding to a stressful event to generate skin conductivity coefficients, the value of each coefficient indicating the match of a respective set of consecutive skin conductivity measurements to the predetermined skin conductivity response; and to determine whether the user has had a potential fall by analyzing the skin conductivity coefficients.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . A fall detector as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to analyze the skin conductivity coefficients to determine whether the skin conductivity measurements are consistent with a user having had a fall by determining one or more of (i) the maximum value of the coefficients, (ii) the mean of the coefficients, and/or (iii) the median of the coefficients. 
     
     
         4 . A fall detector as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to filter the skin conductivity measurements to remove noise and/or interference prior to matching the skin conductivity measurements to the predetermined skin conductivity response. 
     
     
         5 . A fall detector as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the processor is configured to use a median filter to remove the noise and/or interference from the skin conductivity measurements. 
     
     
         6 . A fall detector as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising at least one movement sensor for sensing the movement of the user, the processor being further configured to analyze measurements from the at least one movement sensor to determine if the user may have fallen. 
     
     
         7 . A fall detector as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the processor is configured to analyze the skin conductivity measurements only in the event that the measurements from the at least one movement sensor indicate that the user may have fallen. 
     
     
         8 . A fall detector as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the processor is configured to use the skin conductivity sensor to measure the skin conductivity in the event that the measurements from the at least one movement sensor indicate that the user may have fallen. 
     
     
         9 . A fall detector as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the processor is configured to analyze the skin conductivity measurements obtained during a time window following a time at which the measurements from the at least one sensor indicate that the user may have fallen. 
     
     
         10 . A method of detecting a potential fall by a user, the method comprising:
 measuring the skin conductivity of the user; and   analyzing the skin conductivity measurements to determine whether the user has had a potential fall by using a matched filter to match the skin conductivity measurements to a predetermined skin conductivity response corresponding to a stressful event to generate skin conductivity coefficients, the value of each coefficient indicating the match of a respective set of consecutive skin conductivity measurements to the predetermined skin conductivity response, and determining whether the user has had a potential fall by analyzing the skin conductivity coefficients.   
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . A method as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein analyzing the skin conductivity coefficients to determine whether the response is consistent with a user having had a fall comprises determining one or more of (i) the maximum value of the coefficients, (ii) the mean of the coefficients, and/or (iii) the median of the coefficients. 
     
     
         13 . A method as claimed in  claim 10 , further comprising the steps of:
 sensing the movement of the user; and   analyzing the movement of the user to determine if the user may have fallen.   
     
     
         14 . A method as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the step of analyzing the skin conductivity measurements is performed only in the event that the step of analyzing the movement of the user indicates that the user may have fallen. 
     
     
         15 . A computer program product comprising computer readable code embodied therein, the computer readable code being configured such that, upon execution by a suitable computer or processor, the computer or processor performs the method claimed of  claim 10 .