We are inviting you to join this research study. The purpose of the research is to develop a prototype wearable device that can detect when a person has fallen.

The reason you may want to participate in this study is to help improve the ability to predict and detect when a person has unintentionally fallen. We are working toward developing a wireless, wearable, low-power fall detection sensor for elderly persons to predict when they fall.

We are asking 130 people to take part in this study and each attend one visit to the SDSU HealthLINK Clinical Research Center, located at 6475 Alvarado Road, for one hour. The study involves repeatedly walking approximately 15 feet in a straight line within a 3-foot pathway while wearing a virtual reality (VR) headset. At the end of the path you will step onto a thick cloth placed in front of 6″ thick landing pads made from high density foam. When you reach the cloth, a research assistant (RA) will pull on the carpet, with one of three randomly assigned levels of vigor. These levels will be designed to cause you to either (1) fall, (2) stumble and regain balance and continue walking, or (3) continue to walk normally with no interruption. The pads are designed to handle throws, take downs and falls that occur in martial arts, jiu jitsu, wrestling, cheerleading and gymnastics, and will cushion the impact of your fall. You will perform approximately twelve walking trials during a one-hour visit. During each trial, the position and orientation of your legs will be recorded using an electronic sensor and saved as data.

You do not have to join this study. These are some reasons you might want to join this study: 1) you may wish to personally contribute to the set of scientific data needed to develop a fall sensor; and 2) you may have an older relative or loved one who suffers from balance issues and you would like to take part in the scientific effort to develop a better medical device to detect falls. These are some reasons you might not want to join this study: 1) you may dislike, or have a fear of falling, and do not want to take the risk of being physically injured during the study; and 2) you may suffer from motion sickness while traveling by car, boat, plane, or train and feel the use of VR will make you nauseous.

We will give you details about the purposes, procedures, risks, and possible benefits related to this study. We will explain other choices you have. We will also give you any other information that you need to make an informed decision about joining this study.