专为老人打造的臀部气囊

A belt with airbags that inflate* as soon as it senses the wearer is about to fall could reduce the chance of elderly people breaking their hips.

The US$790 belt is equipped with two airbags that inflate above the hips to absorb impact and they take just 0.08 seconds to blow up, designers say. The company claims the device absorbs 90 percent of the impact of a fall and unlike most hip protection pads, it anticipates a fall rather than cushioning impact.

The French company Helite specializes in airbags for extreme sports such as horseback riding and flying light aircraft. Their new Hip’Air airbag is designed to be deployed straight after it senses the wearer falling. According to the company, the average fall takes 0.4 seconds and the bag detects someone is falling in just 0.2 seconds. If the belt has been put on incorrectly it beeps until the position is adjusted.

The gas canisters* need to be replaced after each fall at a cost of US$50. The new device weighs around 1kg. “The belt is ergonomic*, light, easy to use and allows total freedom of movement,” the company said. (SD-Agencies)