Smart trousers detect wobbly walks, imminent falls in elderly

If we can’t build a pair of pants yet that can prevent someone from falling, I guess the best we can do is make a pair that lets you know when you’re about to fall. These “E-Textile” pants are shot through with accelerometers, gyroscopes, bend sensors, all with a common 9V battery as a power source. They exchange information with a nearby hub, which can alert someone if there is a catastrophic falling event.

Obviously these aren’t for people training for marathons — the idea is they are an alternative to things like panic buttons and constant surveillance. I’m not sure how I feel about the blood-red plaid design, though.