Emergency wristband with fall detection: What happens in the event of a fall?

Falls often occur in everyday situations: when getting up, in the bathroom, in the garden, or while walking. It becomes particularly problematic when the affected person can no longer get up independently or actively call for help afterwards. An emergency wristband with fall detection can provide additional security here. It is worn directly on the wrist and can trigger an emergency call not only by pressing a button, but also automatically when a fall is detected. But how does such a fall detection system work? What emergency call systems are available? And what actually happens when a fall is detected?

• An emergency call wristband with fall detection can automatically detect a potential fall and initiate an emergency process.
• The Gardia emergency call wristband, for example, also features a central emergency call button for manual triggering.
• The AI-based FallGuard360° fall detection analyzes movement patterns to recognize fall-typical events.
• After an automatic or manual trigger, Gardia implements a 20-second safety phase during which an accidental alarm can be canceled.
• If the emergency call is not terminated, the stored emergency contacts are informed via the My Gardia App.
• Optionally, the professional 24/7 BOSCH emergency call center can be integrated.
• In an active emergency, a voice connection can be established, and the location of the wearer can be transmitted.
• The wearer does not need a smartphone to use the Gardia emergency call wristband.

Not every fall leads to a serious injury. Nevertheless, even a seemingly harmless fall can become a difficult situation.

For example, after a fall, the affected person may:

• no longer be able to get up on their own,
• be dazed or disoriented,
• not be able to reach their phone,
• not be able to state their location,
• or no longer be able to call for help independently.

A smartphone on the table or a phone in the next room may then not be of any help.

Therefore, it can be useful to wear an emergency call system directly on the body.

An emergency call bracelet is worn directly on the wrist. This ensures that the emergency call button can be quickly accessed in an emergency. Automatic fall detection complements this manual function: If the system detects a possible fall, the emergency process can be initiated even if the person concerned is no longer able to press the button themselves.

Both options should work together:

• Manual emergency call:
  The person can request help themselves.
• Automatic fall detection:
  The system can react independently to a detected fall.

This combination is particularly important because not every emergency situation begins with a fall – and it is not always possible to actively press a button after a fall.

The Gardia emergency wristband was developed as a mobile emergency solution for seniors and people with an increased risk of falling. It does not require a fixed base station and works at home and on the go thanks to its integrated mobile connection. The wearer does not need their own smartphone for this.

Key features include:

• Emergency call at the touch of a button,
• automatic, AI-based FallGuard360° fall detection,
• direct voice connection via the wristband,
• location transmission in an active emergency,
• notification of up to six private emergency contacts,
• management via the My Gardia App,
• optionally a professional 24/7 emergency call center,
• long battery life,
• water and dust-protected casing.

The wristband is designed to help not only with intentionally triggered emergency calls but also when a fall is automatically detected.

The FallGuard360° fall detection is the AI-based automatic fall detection system of the Gardia emergency bracelet. It analyzes movement patterns and is designed to recognize when a movement corresponds to a typical fall event. This is crucial because not every quick or unusual movement is automatically a fall. Sitting down, tripping, or abrupt arm movements can also cause strong movements. FallGuard360° is therefore designed not just to register individual jolts, but to intelligently evaluate movement sequences.

What makes FallGuard360° special?

The particular challenge of automatic fall detection lies in distinguishing actual falls from normal everyday movements.

Gardia therefore combines automatic detection with several safety mechanisms:

• AI-based analysis of movement,
• automatic triggering in the event of a detected fall,
• clear warning signals through sound, light, and vibration,
• 20 seconds to cancel,
• additional manual emergency call button.

This allows the wearer to remain in control if, for example, a movement was mistakenly identified as a fall.

Nevertheless, it remains important: No automatic fall detection can guarantee to detect every fall. Therefore, the manual emergency call button remains a central component of the Gardia emergency bracelet.

If a possible fall event is detected by FallGuard360°, the emergency process automatically starts.

1. The fall is detected

FallGuard360° detects a fall (a resting phase of 10 seconds after a fall is necessary to reliably detect a fall) and activates emergency mode. The wearer does not need to press any button for this.

2. The 20-second safety phase begins

The wristband clearly signals that an emergency call is being prepared.

It:

• vibrates,
• flashes,
• and emits an acoustic signal.

This phase lasts for 20 seconds. If no emergency has occurred, the alarm can be canceled within this time using the emergency call button.

3. The emergency call is triggered

If the alarm is not canceled, the active emergency is forwarded to the stored emergency contacts. Up to six private contacts can be integrated via the My Gardia App. Optionally, the professional Bosch emergency call center can be added.

4. Relatives can react

The stored emergency contacts can, in an active emergency:

• see the emergency message,
• establish a voice connection to the wristband,
• view the transmitted location,
• be navigated to the location,
• and coordinate with other emergency contacts.

This way, relatives know faster that something has happened and where help is needed.

If the affected person can react after the fall, an emergency contact can establish a direct voice connection to the Gardia emergency bracelet. Microphone and loudspeaker are located directly in the bracelet.

This allows clarifying, for example:

• What happened?
• Is the person injured?
• Can they get up independently?
• Where exactly are they located?
• Is a relative needed?
• Does professional help need to be organized?

The wearer does not need to reach for a smartphone or dial a phone number for this.

This is precisely where a significant advantage of automatic fall detection lies. If, for example, the affected person is dazed after a fall or unable to press the emergency call button themselves, the emergency process initiated by FallGuard360° can still continue. The stored contacts are informed and can view the location transmitted in the active emergency. This means that the emergency chain does not depend exclusively on whether the fallen person can actively request help themselves.

Even an intelligent fall detection system may classify an unusual movement as a fall. That's why Gardia has a 20-second safety phase. Example: A person sits down very quickly and the system detects the movement as a possible fall event.

Then the following happens:

1. The wristband vibrates, flashes, and beeps.
2. The 20-second phase begins.
3. The person realizes there is no emergency.
4. They stop the alarm via the emergency button.
5. The emergency call is not forwarded.

This way, the wearer can cancel an accidentally triggered emergency themselves.

You can store up to six private emergency contacts in the My Gardia app. If an emergency is triggered, these contacts can be informed and coordinate with each other. For relatives, this means they don't have to find out if someone else has already reacted. The emergency chain can be organised together.

In an emergency, you can:

• establish a voice connection,
• check the location,
• drive to the person concerned,
• coordinate other relatives,
• or organise professional help if necessary.

Upon request, the Gardia emergency bracelet can also be used with Bosch's professional 24/7 emergency call center. If this service is booked, an activated emergency call can also be forwarded to the emergency call center. There, a voice connection can be established with the wearer and the situation assessed. Depending on the emergency, appropriate support will then be organized. For relatives, this can be an additional relief – especially if they cannot be reached around the clock themselves.

No. Location transmission with Gardia is linked to an active emergency.

It becomes relevant when:

• a manual emergency call has been triggered, or
  
• FallGuard360° fall detection has recognized a possible fall and initiated the emergency process.
  

The location function thus serves to provide support in an actual emergency and not for continuous tracking in everyday life.

An emergency wristband with fall detection can be particularly useful if an active call for help may no longer be possible after a fall. With the Gardia emergency wristband, the AI-based FallGuard360° fall detection analyzes movement patterns and can automatically start the emergency process if a fall is detected. If the alarm is not stopped within the 20-second safety phase, the stored emergency contacts are informed. In an active emergency, a direct voice connection can be established and the location of the wearer can be transmitted. Optionally, the professional 24/7 Bosch emergency call center can also be integrated. At the same time, the manual emergency button remains available at all times. This way, Gardia combines two important options: requesting help yourself if it is still possible – and automatically re