US technology developer IBM has been granted a US patent for a new smart floor system, which can detect movement.
The multi-touch floor will incorporate a number of sensors which can track the weight, number and shape of objects, as well as their location, and act accordingly. The full patent report details how the floor can be attached to various monitors and devices that record time and movement, among other things, reports the news website Mashable.
The floor could detect a fall, or report a person suffering a heart attack, and would be able to dial out to emergency services. The system is similar to a smart floor for the hotel industry, developed in Germany in 2009 by Fraunhofer.
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Mashable report
IBM Multi-Touch Smart Floor Calls 911 When You Fall
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