Research project presentations, discussing the topic of injury biomechanics and human body modeling, given during the 2011 Safety Technology Seminar by CSRC engineers and CSRC partners.
Wayne State University School of Medicine
Finite Element Model of Vulnerable Populations
A four-and-a-half-year study to develop human body finite element (FE) models for children and seniors so that engineers can account for differences in their body characteristics when designing vehicle safety systems. The study aims to close the gap between current safety testing and the actual injuries sustained by these two vulnerable populations, ultimately reducing injuries to all occupants regardless of age.
University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute
Posture, Body Shape, and Seatbelt Fit in Senior Drivers
An 18-month project to study the relationship between age and seated occupant posture, body shape, and seatbelt fit. The project seeks to determine if senior drivers and passengers sit differently in the vehicle, to characterize exterior body shape changes that occur with age, and to understand how these factors influence seat belt fit. The statistical models resulting from the study can be used to better understand senior occupant kinetics and injury patterns in a crash event.
Wake Forest University School of Medicine
THUMS Simulation of Real World Collision Events
A five-year project to combine collision reconstruction data with Finite Element Modeling to better understand how to reduce injuries caused by vehicle collisions. The study will compare information about actual collisions with data from Toyota’s THUMS technology, allowing researchers to pinpoint which changes to vehicle design could have prevented the actual injuries suffered by vehicle occupants.