A system and method is provided for detection of a human body fall event. The fall detection system ( 100, 200 ) includes a monitoring unit ( 102, 202 ), including a plurality of accelerometers ( 106, 206 ), a processor ( 108, 208 ) and a wireless transmitter ( 110, 210 ). The plurality of accelerometers ( 106, 206 ) provide acceleration measurements to the processor ( 108, 208 ), the measurements describing the current acceleration of the person wearing the monitoring unit ( 102, 202 ) in all directions. The processor ( 108, 208 ) receives the acceleration measurements and compares the acceleration measurements to a value range to determine if the wearer is currently experiencing a fall event. The processor ( 108, 208 ) generates a signal in response to the detection of a fall event and the transmitter ( 110, 210 ) transmits the signal to a remote signal receiver ( 104, 204 ). The system and method can further detect non-movement in the wearer of the monitoring unit ( 102, 202 ) subsequent to the fall event to detect an unconscious wearer.
