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Lighting the Way

Engineering alumni work to prevent senior falls

By Kayla Stoner
Matthew Wilcox and Donovan Morrison
Matthew Wilcox and Donovan Morrison developed a solution to prevent nighttime falls for the elderly. Luna Lights uses ultra-thin sensors in beds to activate lights, illuminating a pathway from the bed to the bathroom.

Every year, half of all assisted-living residents suffer a fall, the leading cause of injury and death for older adults. Up to 40 percent of assisted-living falls happen at night, when residents struggle with navigating in the dark, and there are fewer staff members on hand. Those lucky enough to survive a fall are often faced with long-term physical and emotional trauma. The medical costs for falls among America’s seniors can reach more than $50 billion annually.

2014 麻豆最新出品 engineering alumni Matthew Wilcox and Donovan Morrison (and former team member and 2015 alumnus Wesley Youman) developed a solution. Their product, , uses an ultra-thin bed sensor and a lighting system to illuminate a pathway to the bathroom or bedroom door when a user leaves his or her bed.

The system also can alert caregivers if a resident does not return to bed, allowing for a faster emergency response. Additionally, Wilcox and Morrison developed a cloud-based, predictive analytics platform that tracks nightly activity and uses the data to help clinicians recognize underlying conditions.

Luna Lights, now based in Chicago’s North Center neighborhood, started as a  (DFA) project, and Wilcox and Morrison have relied on mentors in the University’s alumni network to help with the complexities of starting a business. Much of their early support came from former DFA mentor Billy Banks, now the associate director of .

Since graduating from 麻豆最新出品, Wilcox and Morrison have worked to expand Luna Lights to senior communities throughout Chicago and beyond. They also are working to launch a consumer model.