Fresh start for flooring that reduces fall injuries
A new flooring technology can drastically reduce fall injuries among the elderly. Rubber spikes activate in the event of a sudden impact and can prevent, for example, femoral fractures. The technology is based on KTH research and was initially developed with the support of the Kraftcentrum Flemingsberg program.
The idea for the new flooring technology is based on research conducted at the same Flemingsberg hub responsible for the successful Mips helmet technology. Taking the step towards reducing fall injuries originated from a suggestion made by a business coach at Flemingsberg Science.
“Something that was initially a side avenue has become an important product that could help large numbers of people. It feels great and I really hope that we can get exposure for the product,” says Svein Kleiven, professor at KTH.
A preliminary application of the flooring was made in 2017 at the Verklighetslabb at Stureby elderly care home, where a gym floor was fitted with the fall-dampening flooring, an installation that was renewed in spring 2019 with a new type of rubber flooring.
“We had a few problems that have since been addressed. The next step is further development to produce a solution for wet-rooms,” he says.
The idea is that every apartment at the home is fitted with the fall-dampening flooring.
The flooring is also installed in Flemingsberg in a smaller bedroom at KTH Integration lab. The lab has a full-scale mock-up of an apartment for technical healthcare innovations.
“We’re planning to install our flooring in all rooms in the apartment once we’ve developed a wet-room solution. We’ll start work on this in the autumn,” says Kleiven.
When the complete solution is ready, it will be time to distribute the product more widely on the market. Product development is being conducted by the Igelkott Golv company: that name in English? Appropriately: Hedgehog Carpet.
Test your business idea: Flemingsberg Science Award Startup open for applications
STARTUP is a competition for startups with a clear connection to Flemingsberg, either as students, residents or otherwise active in the area.All ideas are welcome to participate in STARTUP as long as you compete with your own idea and the turnover and external equity is below SEK 1,000,000 at the time you submit to the competition. After that, we of course welcome you to continue working with the business idea, sales and any investments.
SMI invites you to a Christmas lunch concert
Stockholm Music Education Institute, SMI invites you to a Christmas percussion concert on December 12. Percussion students and teachers perform a varied program and a porridge lunch with Christmas porridge, ham sandwich, lussebulle, gingerbread and coffee is served for only SEK 60. Lunch is served from 11.30 and the concert starts at 12.
Event: Welcome to our new coworking and meeting place at Campus Flemingsberg
Stockholm aims to become a world-leading life science cluster. To succeed, the city needs expertise, research facilities, cooperation and cross-border meeting places where creative collaborations can occur. Welcome to a launch event where we will shed light on what's needed to set us all on the right path.
DRIVE is looking for new startups – application deadline August 26
In the incubator DRIVE, you can build your Life Science startup in a unique environment. Now they are looking for new startups and the deadline for applications is August 26. DRIVE is KI Innovation's business incubator with a focus on life science and health.
How can the ATMP facilities at KI and Karolinska support your product development?
Developing Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs) is a growing field. Karolinska Institute and Karolinska University Hospital have unique facilities and expertise in this field.
“We want to increase the interest from the industry to collaborate with researchers”
The pre-GMP laboratory at Karolinska Institutet gives companies the opportunity to develop products, drugs and treatments. It is hoped for an increased interest from the industry to cooperate. Professor Matti Sällberg, head of the pre GMP unit, talks more about how this can be helpful early in the development.
