Winter Wonder Lab Helps Prevent Slips And Falls

(Inside Science TV) -- When winter storms hit and bring snow and ice, emergency rooms fill up with patients injured from slips and falls on icy surfaces.

Now, researchers Geoff Fernie and Yue Li, both biomedical engineers at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute in Canada, are watching volunteers purposely slip on ice, in a state-of-the-art winter lab.

“Inside it, the floor is such that you can generate ice, you can make real ice, you can control the temperature very precisely, it can make wet ice which is very slippery,” said Fernie.

With temperatures in the lab as low as 14 degrees Fahrenheit, researchers test footwear to help develop better shoes and boots for slippery surfaces.

“We test the winter footwear either on pure ice, wet or dry or we sprinkle snow on top,” Li said.

A smooth sole may be the key for walking on ice or snow without slipping. A heavy, bumpy sole doesn’t always mean better. And, expensive, name brand shoes are not always better at keeping their wearer upright.

“Even though they look aggressive, they’re sold with Arctic names and things, and they claim to walk to the North Pole...they’re hopeless,” Fernie said.

After numerous tests, the researcher found only one wintry mix that even the best boot could not conquer.

“When we have snow sprinkled on ice, then almost none of the footwear, even this good one, doesn’t really perform well,” said Li.

The research may help develop rating systems so consumers can pick the best footwear for any environment.

Researchers also use the winter lab to study and test mobility aids such as wheelchairs, walkers and scooters, so they function better on inclined and icy surfaces.