Why Smart Radar Sensors Are Essential for Preventing Falls in Aged

Introduction

Falls remain one of the most serious health threats for older adults, causing injury, hospitalisation, and loss of independence. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 684,000 fatal falls occur annually, making falls the second leading cause of unintentional injury deaths worldwide.^[1] For aged-care providers, preventing falls is both a medical and operational priority.

Smart radar sensors—an evolution of traditional fall detection systems—are emerging as a non-contact, privacy-preserving, and predictive solution that can transform aged-care safety.

The Scale of the Problem

Falls affect 30–40% of adults aged over 65 each year.^[2] In aged-care facilities, the rates are even higher—up to 60% annually.^[3] Beyond the physical injuries, even minor falls can cause psychological distress, leading to “post-fall syndrome,” reduced mobility, and social withdrawal.^[4]

Traditional solutions—such as wearable alarms or cameras—face major limitations. Wearables depend on user compliance, while camera-based systems raise privacy concerns and are affected by lighting and occlusion. Radar technology eliminates these barriers.

How Radar Sensors Transform Fall Prevention

1. Non-Contact and Privacy-Preserving

Radar sensors operate using electromagnetic waves to detect movement and posture without capturing visual imagery. This means residents don’t need to wear devices or be recorded on video.
Studies have demonstrated radar’s ability to detect human activity—including walking, sitting, and falling—while maintaining privacy.^{[6] [8]}

2. Continuous, Real-Time Monitoring

Unlike motion sensors or wearables that depend on discrete triggers, radar systems provide continuous, passive monitoring of movement patterns.
A 4D imaging radar prototype achieved 95% accuracy in fall detection in indoor environments without requiring any wearable device. ^[8]

3. Predictive Analytics and Early Intervention

Radar’s fine-grained motion data allows for early detection of fall-risk indicators, such as changes in gait velocity, step length, and sit-to-stand transitions.
In a clinical trial, radar-derived velocity metrics correlated strongly with fall-risk assessments from physiotherapists. ^[5] Machine-learning algorithms can analyse these motion signatures to predict when an individual is at increasing risk of a fall. ^[7]

4. Seamless Integration with Smart Care Systems

Radar sensors can integrate with IoT-based aged-care platforms to trigger alerts or notifications when abnormal movement patterns are detected. Combined with AI analytics, this creates a proactive monitoring network that enables immediate staff response before a fall occurs.

Aware Guardian: Leading the Radar Revolution

At Aware Technologies, our Aware Guardian system leverages advanced radar sensing and the proprietary Aware Mobility Index (AMI) to detect deviations in mobility that signal increased fall risk.
Unlike traditional fall alarms, Aware Guardian enables preventative care—alerting caregivers before an incident occurs through continuous mobility pattern analysis.