I-SHOU University / Prof. CHUNG-KUN YEN

 Pain Points Solved 

Ongoing technological advancements have contributed to a rapid increase in the aging population, with Taiwan progressively entering an aging society. Consequently, issues related to the care of older adults have become an important public health concern. In Taiwan, falls constitute the second leading cause of mortality due to accidental injuries among older adults, underscoring the substantial health burden associated with fall-related incidents. Therefore, health promotion strategies targeting fall prevention in older adults have become a critical focus in geriatric healthcare. The technology described in this study addresses injury mitigation at the time of a fall and facilitates real-time notification to healthcare providers or family caregivers, thereby supporting timely intervention.

 Technology Introduction 

Piezoelectric fiber elements fabricated via near-field electrospinning are employed as dynamic sensing components and energy-harvesting units. These elements are integrated with parametric three-dimensional (3D) model design, enabling the structure to exhibit a porous architecture. Using stereolithography (SLA) additive manufacturing, soft materials are fabricated into a porous shock-absorbing structure. The system subsequently integrates the dynamic sensing elements, soft porous shock-absorbing structure, and an emergency signal transmission module into a comfortable inner-layer textile garment (trousers). When a fall or collision occurs in elderly individuals, the piezoelectric fibers instantaneously detect dynamic signals—specifically, impact forces exceeding a predefined threshold—and immediately transmit alert messages to healthcare professionals or family members in real time. This integrated wearable system not only mitigates injury severity following falls among older adults but also contributes to a reduction in medical expenditures and fall-related mortality risk.

▲Caption: A structural model is established through three-dimensional (3D) scanning, followed by the design of a shock-absorbing porous structure using mathematical modeling and computational optimization. By integrating polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) piezoelectric fibers, the system leverages both self-powered energy harvesting and dynamic sensing capabilities, enabling fall-related events to be wirelessly transmitted to healthcare professionals and family members via 2.4 GHz wireless communication. 

 Application Examples 

A porous shock-absorbing structure fabricated using three-dimensional (3D) printing technology is integrated with PVDF fiber-based sensors to immediately attenuate injuries caused by falls at the point of impact. In addition, by incorporating Internet of Things (IoT)-based wireless communication, fall events are transmitted in real time to healthcare professionals or family members for timely intervention.

 Related Links 

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 Patent Name and Number 

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 Industry-Academia / Tech Transfer Partner 

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 Honors and Awards  

None

 Technical Contact  

Yu-Hui Huang, Manager

I-SHOU University
Tel: +886 7-6577711 ext. 2194
Email: yuhuihuang@isu.edu.tw