Tango Belt Earns Spot on TIME's 2026 Best Inventions List
A wearable device designed to prevent hip fractures in older adults has been named to TIME’s annual list of transformative innovations. The Tango Belt, developed by Conshohocken-based ActiveProtective, utilizes motion sensors and rapid-deployment airbags to mitigate the impact of falls, a technology now recognized for its clinical impact.
The device functions by continuously monitoring movement through 3-D sensors and proprietary algorithms capable of identifying a fall in progress. Once a high-risk event is detected, the integrated airbag deploys in under 90 milliseconds. This rapid response is designed to absorb forces that would otherwise lead to life-altering injuries. In clinical trials, the belt demonstrated a 91% relative risk reduction for major hip injuries compared to standard care protocols.
ActiveProtective CEO Wamis Singhatat noted that the recognition validates the original vision of the company’s late founder, Dr. Robert F. Buckman Jr. By securing FDA authorization as a breakthrough medical device, the company aims to close a critical gap in fall-prevention for elderly patients with diagnosed bone loss. The firm is currently working to expand access to the device as a standard intervention for high-risk individuals.
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