Smartwatch fall detection is saving lives, and its limits

Fall detection uses the watch motion sensors to spot a hard fall followed by stillness. Then it asks if you are okay and, with no answer, calls an emergency contact.

It works best for sudden falls. Slow slides, such as fainting while sitting, may not be detected. Some fictional makers now add a heart-rate check as a second signal.

Make sure your emergency contacts are set up and the feature is switched on, since many watches ship with it off.

This is a demo story: every name, place, organisation and figure in it is fictional.