How many times have you or the elderly in your home have fallen while walking on the smooth carpet placed in your living room? In order to avoid such falls and help predict mobility problems, a research team from three academic Schools and the Photon Science Institute at The University of Manchester has come up with the Magic Carpet. While you won’t be able to fly this carpet like Aladdin, it maps the real time walking patterns and can instantly tell is someone has fallen. The Magic Carpet integrates plastic optical fibers and sensors to track the person’s movements and send the data to the computer.
The data or signals can be further studied to show imagery that will help find out steady changes in walking behavior or falls. Moreover, the imaging technology used for the magic carpet can also sense the presence of chemical spillages or fire. The innovative carpet, which will be of great help for the ageing society, was showcased at the Photon 12 conference and could be used in hospitals, care homes and residential spaces.
Via: CrazyEngineers/Manchester
