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Wearable Airbags Keep the Elderly Safe From Falls

by Engadget Staff on September 25, 2008 at 09:52 AM

wearable airbags

Elderly? Enfeebled? Just plain clumsy? Tokyo-based Prop has your back. Its newly announced personal, wearable airbag looks like a cool fanny-pack and weighs a mere 1.1 kilograms (2.4 pounds) -- but springs forth in one-tenth of a second when sensors detect you're headed for the floor, protecting your head and ass with two inflated bags that contain 3.9 gallons of gas each. Similar to the various airbag-equipped suits already used by some motorcyclists, the Tokyo Prop's airbag is specifically designed to help the elderly, according to Prop president Mitsuya Uchida. The bag is yours for a cool ¥148,000 ($1,400). [From AFP and Daily Telegraph]

[Thanks, Steve]

Tags: airbag, big in japan, BigInJapan, elderly, expire-images2009-9-25, health, motorcycle, Prop, safety, wearable airbags, WearableAirbags, weird

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