Development of Anthropomorphic Child Dummies

In late 1971, Alderson Research Laboratories initiated the development of a totally new design for a similar pair of crash-test dummies in the three-year-old and six-year-old child sizes. The fundamental basis for this design was a compilation of recent child anthropometry surveys which served to define overall body weights and to target key external dimensions. Models built to conform to these targets were used to derive standards empirically for weight distribution and segment centers of gravity. These data are presented along with a description of the mechanics by which the sculptor's art, the anatomist's knowledge, and the machine designer's skills were blended to effect the transformation into the final human simulation models.