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Walk with confidence.

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The SAF-T VEST™ is designed to be comfortable, lightweight and non-stigmatizing. If you should lose your balance, it will inflate airbags in real time, absorbing impact as the airbags deflate, reducing rebound and cushioning the fall. (Illustrations by Dan O’Leary.)

A conversation about smart fall protection

Co-Founder Ryan Davenport updates WCCO radio listeners about the SAF-T VEST

MINNEAPOLIS (August 4, 2025) — The issue of falling injuries involving older adults continues to gain more attention in the media. Ryan Davenport joined WCCO radio morning show host Vineeta Sawkar to discuss the problem of falls and how the SAF-T VEST could address this public health crisis.

Listen to the interview
(7 minutes)

Milestones

  • 2017 – Davenport SAF-T Systems founded as partnership LLC
  • 2017 – Filed non-provisional U.S. patent application for the SAF-T VEST
  • 2019 – Semifinalist, Minnesota Cup
  • 2020 – Semifinalist, “Most Fundable Companies” contest by Pepperdine University
  • 2020 – Collaborated with University of St. Thomas School of Engineering to develop first gen prototype/proof of concept
  • 2021 – Received U.S. Patent (No. 10,897,938 B2) for the SAF-T VEST
  • 2021 – Finalist, MassChallenge early-stage accelerator program

  • 2021 – First gen prototype/proof of concept debuts at UST School of Engineering Senior Design Clinic.
  • 2022 – Awarded $28K state Innovation Grant from Launch Minnesota
  • 2023 – Raised $100K through crowdfunding and friends and family
  • 2023 – Unveiled fully-functioning SAF-T VEST prototype in collaboration with Kablooe Design engineers.
  • 2024 – Attended and exhibited the SAF-T VEST at the Consumer Electronics Show
  • 2024 – Awarded $4K at Walleye Tank pitch competition at University of Minnesota 2017

SAF-T VEST™ prototype detects backward fall, inflates airbags for hips-to-head protection

Video

Engineers and designers from Kablooe Design pose with “Manny,” (2nd from left). The life-sized mannequin is shown wearing the SAF-T VEST prototype with its airbags fully inflated. In December 2023, Co-Founder Ryan Davenport (far right) announced the company had completed the first forward and backwards fall tests of its SAF-T VEST prototype. NOTE: The SAF-T VEST is still in development and not available to the public.

Next round of funding supports prototype fall tests with adult volunteers

Now with a new, fully-functioning prototype, Davenport SAF-T Systems will conduct more tests evaluating safety and performance–using a life-sized mannequin–and then with health adult volunteers .

“We’ve had a very successful stretch of accomplishments,” said Ryan Davenport, the company’s co-founder. “Our prototype demonstrated a new level of fall injury protection–now we need to prove this technology is ready to start keeping people safe.”

Read more about our fall test in News


Inventor of the SAF-T VEST: It will “certainly” reduce the risk of falling injuries in hospitals, nursing homes

Video

An estimated three million people in the U.S. are rushed to hospitals each year due to devastating injuries from falls.1 Tens of thousands of these injuries result in life-changing consequences ranging from hip fractures to head injuries to death. At least 300,000 older people in the U.S. suffer hip fractures each year; more than 95% of these injuries are caused by falling. They are the #1 cause of traumatic brain injuries.2

In short, fall injuries are a $80 billion public health crisis.

The SAF-T VEST solution

Jay Davenport, M.D, a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon, designed a patented, wearable tech solution. It’s called the SAF-T VEST–a “smart” vest that will reduce the risk of serious injuries from falls.

Falls are the #1 cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries among older adults in the U.S. Each year about 14 million older adults fall. After a first fall, seniors are twice as likely to fall again.
Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and prevention; Illustration by Dan O’Leary

Most strategies to reduce injuries from falls focus on prevention. Dr. Davenport decided a different approach was needed: fall protection.

Tiny sensors will detect a fall in progress. Then, airbags inflate in less than a half-second to absorb the impact of the fall and reduce the risk of severe injury. The bags rapidly deflate to ensure a soft landing, like a deflating air mattress.

The airbag system is built into the vest, along with the sensors and a micro-computer. The vest will come in a variety colors, styles and thermal ratings for use in warm and moderate climates. We’ll have versions for sleeping too.

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The SAF-T VEST comes in various styles suitable for warm and moderate climates.

Aging well at home

According to the American Association of Retired People (AARP), more than 90% of people aged 65 and over plan to stay in their homes as long as possible. So, what can we do to help extend our independent living? Experts say get up and get moving. The risks of falling increase as we age. Changes in vision, hearing and certain medications can affect balance. A bad fall can change a person’s quality of life in an instant. Consequences include expensive medical care, long-term rehabilitation and a permanent loss of independence. Many begin a path of physical decline.

However, regular exercise, including walking, can help reduce that risk. The SAF-T VEST lets you walk with confidence, providing the protection you need if you ever lose your balance.

The SAF-T VEST: a new idea using proven technology

By providing injury protection in a fall , the SAF-T VEST helps seniors stay active.

Personal crash protection systems designed for high-speed sports like motorcycling and downhill skiing rely on similar components. The SAF-T VEST is a significant advance in fall protection. For decades, one of the few options was the AHIP protector–a bulky undergarment with padding for the hips. The Tango Belt, made in France, is equipped with sensors and deploys one airbag over each hip, leaving other areas exposed to injury.

Bottom line

According to AARP, more than 10,000 seniors turn 65 each day, a rate expected to continue into the 2030s. There are more than 56 million seniors in the U.S. Our target market includes clinicians, hospitals, long-term care facilities and seniors. Adult children of seniors represent an important secondary market.

  1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Web–based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS) [online]. Accessed August 5, 2016.
  2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Important Facts about Falls.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 10 Feb. 2017. Web. 02 Apr. 2017.