Airbag actuator mounted in a custom buckle for personal impact protection systems

A protective device comprising:

• a buckle comprising a first buckle half and a second buckle half, the first and second buckle halves being attachable to and detachable from one another;
• an adjustable support strap configured to extend around a waist or hips of an individual and having a first end attached to the first buckle half, and a second end attached to the second buckle half, the support strap having an inner surface configured to face the waist or hips of the individual, and an outer surface opposite the inner surface;
• an airbag assembly attached to and extending along the outer surface of the support strap and configured to extend at least partially around the waist or hips of the individual, wherein the airbag assembly includes a rolled portion that extends continuously along a majority of the support strap, and an entirety of the rolled portion of the airbag assembly is located outward of the support strap;
• and
• an airbag actuator configured to actuate the airbag assembly.