ROBOTS could soon be there to help pick people up after they've fallen.
University of South Australia researchers are developing robotic vision algorithms to create companion robots that autonomously help older people to get up safely after a fall and reduce further injuries.
Project leader and PhD candidate Kalana Ishara Withanage said home sensors, such as cameras and microphones, could be used to alert the robot to a fall.
"The robot could then find the fallen person and analyse their situation though remote heart rate monitoring and by asking questions, the answers to which will be processed by voice recognition," he said.
"If emergency care is not required, the robot could provide audio-visual prompts to guide the person to stand up safely."
The robot would then track the person's progress as they stand using the onboard cameras and provide corrective guidance if the person attempts to move unsafely.
Each year in Australia 80,000 injuries and 1000 fatalities are caused by elderly falls.
"Sixty per cent of injuries and deaths are the result of repeated falls, which are preventable if the person had gotten up properly in the first instance," Mr Withanage said.
"Older people living alone cannot have a physiotherapist by their side at all times, so if they happen to fall, a robot guiding them to get up safely could be a life-saver.
"Existing technologies are insufficient to aid a fallen person, because when a person is lying down and some body parts are obstructed from view, body part detection is highly unreliable."
The team's ultimate goal is to create a robot that provides physical assistance to a fallen person.
"The way we are heading, that could be a reality in the not-so-distant future," Mr Withanage said.
