Patent ID: 7150048

Claim:
A system for protecting a patient from a fall, said system comprising: at least one airbag adapted to be disposed relative to the patient such that said airbag is interposed between the patient and expected injurious hard surfaces, and means for inflating said airbag; motion sensors adapted to be operably connected to the patient, said motion sensors being operable to detect vertical motion of the patients pelvis, horizontal motion of the patients pelvis, rotation of the patient's pelvis, vertical motion of the patient's thorax, horizontal motion of the patient's thorax, and rotation of the patient's thorax; a control system operable to periodically recalibrate position of the motion sensors relative to an absolute position and operable to receive and interpret signals from the motion sensor and control the means for inflating the airbag, said control system being prograimned to interpret motion sensor signals falling within a first set of predetermined parameters as typical movement of the patient and to interpret motion sensor signals falling within a second set of predetermined parameters as a fall, said control means being further programmed to operate the means for inflating the airbag inflate the airbag upon determination of a fall.