Exciting new AI tech using predictive indicators to help reduce incidence of falls

A $2.65 million Federal Government investment in artificial intelligence (AI) technology will aim to combat one of the most dangerous, yet common, events in aged care environments.

Australian falls detection technology provider, HomeGuardian.AI, will deploy $1 million worth of their smart sensors within Victorian VMCH (Villa Maria Catholic Homes) aged care facilities, in a three-year, government-funded trial undertaken in partnership with leading researchers from Deakin University.

Falls are a major health concern for RACFs, with between 30 to 50 percent of aged care residents experiencing a fall each year.

They are responsible for tens of thousands of hospitalisation each year and are the leading cause of preventable deaths for persons aged 65 and over.

But the trial partners are excited at the prospect of turning this tragic phenomenon around, with Maria Paz, VMCH chief innovation officer, saying she is thrilled to be playing a key role in such an important initiative.

“This technology has the potential to not only help reduce hospital admissions and injuries, but also save lives,” Paz says.

“Even when falls don’t cause injury, they can trigger a loss of confidence and an ongoing fear of falling.

“This technology would help boost independence that is so important to maintain as people age, plus provide peace of mind for families and carers.”

She adds that relationships between the aged care sector, research institutes, and technology companies will be the key to developing innovative new ways to improve older persons’ health outcomes and overall quality of life.

“This grant will allow VMCH to continue to be a leading innovator in the adoption and development of technology solutions, through industry and research partnerships, to positively impact the broader sector.”

Using predictive indicators to reduce the incidence of falls would make the HomeGuardian.AI device the first product in the global market to provide this functionality.

The small, portable device sits unobtrusively in the corner of a room and monitors the environment for incidences of falls, and does so without storing any images or videos.

HomeGuardian.AI CEO, David Pearce, explains that the advanced technology is able to detect falls and send instant alerts to care providers or family members of an older person.

“HomeGuardian’s award-winning technology is able to monitor an area (room, facility space or ward) and recognise the difference between normal and abnormal behaviours,” he tells Aged Care News.

“For example, the device’s artificial intelligence is able to determine that it’s normal for someone to pick up a remote or sit on a couch.

“But it also knows that laying on the floor, crying, and screaming are not normal.” 

Kane Sajdak, Home Guardian.AI founder and CEO, adds that whilst existing functionality allows aged care residents to be monitored in a non-invasive way, data from this new trial will be used to build a preventative functionality, detecting risk factors before a fall occurs.

“What we’re aiming for is more proactive residential care that has never been seen before.

“Through this exciting new research, HomeGuardian.AI will further improve and enhance the AI algorithms to not only fall detect falls but prevent them from happening,” Sajdak says.  

“This will allow for better preventative care and will take lots of pressure off already understaffed aged care industries.”

Research begins shortly and will run until December 2025.