The Prediction of Thoracic Impact Injuries

Quantify thoracic impact response using cadaver and baboon subjects;*

Compile analytical functions relating thoracic kinematic response to injuries observed in the experiments; and,

Define performance specifications insuring response fidelity between human and surrogate thoraxes. The experiments, which vary G-level, velocity, and direction of impact, utilize restraint systems including belts, airbags, and EA-columns. Resulting injuries are recorded at autopsy and an AIS rating assigned. Using the kinematic accelerometer data, injury-predictive functions are generated using statistical regression procedures. The utilization of project results in developing performance specifications for surrogate thoraxes is discussed in conclusion.