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Research & Testing: Automobile Impacts

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and Testing

Testing

Low-Speed Rear-End Impact Testing

Vector Scientific staff members, in collaboration with MacInnis Engineering Associates, Ltd. completed a grant funded research project entitled "Identification of Injury Mechanisms in Low-speed Rear-end Automobile Impacts." This study was funded in part by a grant from Technology BC Investments in Research and Development, administered by the Science Council of British Columbia.

This project involved more than 80 tests with live human subjects during controlled low-speed, rear-end impacts. Occupant kinematics, kinetics, muscle activity patterns, and clinical symptoms were measured, analyzed, and interpreted. Live human subject neuromuscular and musculoskeletal response to rear-end collisions provided knowledge toward understanding the mechanism of injury causing whiplash-associated disorders, human tolerance, and human head/neck kinematics. This information is necessary to validate mathematical and physical models used for seat back and head restraint designs.

Human Subject Testing

High-speed cameras were used to capture head and neck kinematics during the impacts. Head and chest accelerometers were also used to measure occupant dynamics.

Pre and post-test clinical data including MRI, range of motion, strength, and pain experience questionnaires were collected.

A telemetry EMG system was used to monitor and record the subjects' cervical muscle response during the impacts.

Child Occupant Safety Research

Jeff Wheeler researched the efficiency and fit of booster seats for children around 4 years of age. Many state laws now require that a child be restrained in a car seat until 4 years of age or at least 40 pounds. Once a child is too large for a car seat, it is recommended that they use a booster seat, which adjusts the adult seatbelt to fit the smaller dimensions of a child. However, many parents do not utilize booster seats for their children since they are not required. Most children, once they reach the age of 4 years, use the standard seat and seatbelt system available in the vehicle.

There is a gap in the car safety research for children in this transitional age range. This makes any and all data collection using child volunteers extremely valuable in the advancement of child safety in automobiles.

Data were collected regarding booster seat versus adult seatbelt fit from over 100 children around 4 years of age with the permission of their parents from ABC Child Development and Community Services and YMCA child care facilities in southern California. Presentations and educational material were provided regarding child occupant safety to the parents and childcare providers at the institutions participating in the research project.

The results will be used to educate parents and childcare providers about the importance and benefits of booster seats, as well as to provide additional data to the scientific community.

Meniscus Injury In Knee-To-Dash Impacts

In an ongoing project directed by Jeff Wheeler of Vector Scientific, in collaboration with Joel M. Bach, Ph.D. of The University of Colorado Health Sciences Center (USHSC) Department of Orthopaedics Biomechanics Laboratory, a special test apparatus was custom built to hold cadaveric leg specimens at desired flexion angles and to apply desired pre-impact knee joint compression. The knee fixture is then accelerated into a dashboard at desired velocities to simulate occupant knee impacts. Pre and post-test arthroscopic surgeries are conducted to evaluate the meniscus pathology.