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The Marseille startup Hippy Medtec Systems presents Indiennov: a connected belt that also acts as an airbag in the event of a fall. It is mainly aimed at seniors, to prevent possible fractures of the femoral neck.
A belt acting as an airbag
Every year, 80,000 French people break their femoral neck. These are mainly elderly people. For many, the consequences can be catastrophic since one in two people lose their autonomy and one in four dies as a result of complications.
In order to avoid injury in the event of a fall, the Hippy Medtec Systems teams have therefore developed Indianov, a belt with two airbags on the sides with an integrated fall detection system. Its mode of operation is relatively simple: in the event of a fall, the on-board system sends an electronic signal to the airbag concerned (right or left) which deploys at the level of the neck of the femur to cushion the impact. At the same time, an alert is sent to the cell phone of relatives or companions.
The belt is intended to be discreet. Be careful, however, not to slip the belt through the loops of your pants and not to wear it under certain types of clothing (down jacket, tight jacket, coat with belt, etc.), which could prevent it from working properly. Finally, the Indiennov belt should not be worn or carried while traveling by plane.
This device is intended above all for seniors, whether they are handymen or hikers, confirmed or occasional, but also for people suffering from neurodegenerative diseases affecting their motor skills or suffering from osteoporosis. Potentially, this concerns nearly 15 million people in France.
The Indiennov belt should be marketed in October. This will go through a subscription system, from 49 euros per month, with a minimum commitment of two years.