London, England, January 31—-Smart floor tiles that sound an alarm when someone falls on them could save lives in fires, according to the Scotsman.com.
The "intelligent flooring system" is made from linoleum tiles containing sophisticated sensors.
And the system can pinpoint, on a computer-generated model of the floor, exactly where a footstep has landed or a person has fallen.
The system is being developed at Edinburgh University’s school of engineering and electronics, where staff said it could help rescuers locate people in smoke-filled buildings.
It could also be used for routine monitoring of older people living alone at home or in sheltered housing.
And it could also alert police or security firms to intruders, it is claimed.
Professor Joe McGeough, who is developing the system, said: "By connecting existing piezoelectric technology to silicon chips, which can quickly interpret the information given out by the sensors, we have been able to develop an ‘intelligent flooring’ system that could be used in a care home or sheltered housing context.
"There, a warden, or a security guard, would be able to monitor passively any signals given out."
