Detecting falls with low-end smartphones

Unlike high-end smartphones, which are equipped with both accelerometers and gyroscopes, low-end models are normally equipped with accelerometers only. This paper presents a detection method that only utilizes the data collected from the accelerometers in smartphones to detect fall events. Moreover, compared to other methods that require smartphones to be placed on the waist, the proposed method additionally allows them to be in the pockets of clothes and pants. According to the experimental results, the proposed method can detect fall events effectively without generating false alarms.