Browse Topic: Anthropometrics
Occupant packaging is one of the key tasks involved in the early architectural phase of a vehicle. Accommodation, as a convention, is generally considered related to a car’s interior. Typical roominess metrics of the occupant like hip room, shoulder room, and elbow room are defined with the door in its closed condition. Several other roominess metrics like knee room, leg room, head room, and the like are also specified. While all the guidelines are defined with doors in their closed condition, it is also important to consider the dynamics that exist while the occupant is entering the vehicle. This article expands the traditional understanding of occupant accommodation beyond conventionally considering the vehicle interior’s ability to accommodate anthropometry. It broadens the scope to include dynamic conditions, such as when doors are opened, providing a more realistic and practical perspective. As a luxury car manufacturer, it is important to ensure the best overall customer
Game-like navigation visuals Conversational-style voice commands. Contactless biometric sensing. A tidal wave of software code and sensing technologies are being prepped to alter in-vehicle activities. Two supplier companies, TomTom and Mitsubishi Electric Automotive America (MEAA), recently presented their concept cockpit demonstrators to media at TomTom's North American corporate offices in Farmington Hills, Michigan. A few highlights
Designing an automotive seat, it is required to perform a detailed study of anthropometry, which deals with measurement of human individuals and understanding human physical variations. It also requires application-based movement study of driver’s hands, feet’s & overall body movement. It is very difficult to design seat curvatures based on any static manikin-based software. We at VECV, have developed a new concept using mixed reality VR technology to capture all body movements for designing best in class seat curvature to accommodate variety of drivers with different body types. We have designed a specialized static bunk, which has a wide range of seat, steering and ABC paddle adjustments, which are integrated with virtual data. We use to study and capture the data of driving position and other ergonomic postures of wide range of people with different body types on this static bunk according to their comfortable driving posture. In this comfortable driving posture, user is immersed in
Ergonomics plays an important role in automobile design to achieve optimal compatibility between occupants and vehicle components. The overall goal is to ensure that the vehicle design accommodates the target customer group, who come in varied sizes, preferences and tastes. Headroom is one such metric that not only influences accommodation rate but also conveys a visual perception on how spacious the vehicle is. An adequate headroom is necessary for a good seating comfort and a relaxed driving experience. Headroom is intensely discussed in magazine tests and one of the key deciding factors in purchasing a car. SAE J1100 defines a set of measurements and standard procedures for motor vehicle dimensions. H61, W27, W35, H35 and W38 are some of the standard dimensions that relate to headroom and head clearances. While developing the vehicle architecture in the early design phase, it is customary to specify targets for various ergonomic attributes and arrive at the above-mentioned
The purpose of this study is to conduct dynamic seat pressure mapping on vehicle seats during its operation on different test tracks under ambient environmental conditions for a defined speed. The test track comprises of pave roads, high frequency track, low frequency track and twist track. The variations in pressure distribution on seat during diverse road load inputs help to understand the seat cushion and back comfort for unique percentiles of human subjects ranging from 50th to 95th percentile population. For conducting the study, a sport utility vehicle (SUV) loaded with leatherette seats has chosen. Totally six participants (human subjects), five male and one female selected for the study based on their BMI (Body mass index) and body morphology. Pressure mats suitable for taking dynamic load inputs and able to log the data at a defined sampling rate mounted on seats and secured properly. The pressure mats should cover the seat cushion, bolster areas and back seat completely. The
Letter from the Special Issue Editors
In this study, a parametric thoracic spine (T-spine) model was developed to account for morphological variations among the adult population. A total of 84 CT scans were collected, and the subjects were evenly distributed among age groups and both sexes. CT segmentation, landmarking, and mesh morphing were performed to map a template mesh onto the T-spine vertebrae for each sampled subject. Generalized procrustes analysis (GPA), principal component analysis (PCA), and linear regression analysis were then performed to investigate the morphological variations and develop prediction models. A total of 13 statistical models, including 12 T-spine vertebrae and a spinal curvature model, were combined to predict a full T-spine 3D geometry with any combination of age, sex, stature, and body mass index (BMI). A leave-one-out root mean square error (RMSE) analysis was conducted for each node of the mesh predicted by the statistical model for every T-spine vertebra. Most of the RMSEs were less
Pyrotechnic seat belt pretensioners typically remove 8–15 cm of belt slack and help couple an occupant to the seat. Our study investigated pretensioner deployment on forward-leaning, live volunteers. The forward-leaning position was chosen because research indicates that passengers frequently depart from a standard sitting position. Characteristics of the 3D kinematics of forward-leaning volunteers following pretensioner deployment determines if body size is correlated with subject response. Nine adult subjects (three female), ages 18–43 years old, across a wide range of body sizes (50–120 kg) were tested. The age was limited to young, active adults as pyrotechnic pretensioners can deliver a notable force to the trunk. Subjects assumed a forward-leaning position, with 26 cm between C7 and the headrest, in a laboratory setting that replicated the passenger seat of a vehicle. At an unexpected time, the pretensioner was deployed. 3D kinematics were measured through a nine-camera motion
This SAE Standard describes head position contours and procedures for locating the contours in a vehicle. Head position contours are useful in establishing accommodation requirements for head space and are required for several measures defined in SAE J1100. Separate contours are defined depending on occupant seat location and the desired percentage (95 and 99) of occupant accommodation. This document is primarily focused on application to Class A vehicles (see SAE J1100), which include most personal-use vehicles (passenger cars, sport utility vehicles, pick-up trucks). A procedure for use in Class B vehicles can be found in Appendix B
During the early phase of vehicle development, one of the key design attributes to consider is the inner comfort for occupants. Internal spaciousness is the pillar that is responsible for user’s comfort and make into customer comfort needs in engineer metrics. Therefore, it is one of the key requirements to be considered during the vehicle design. Certain internal vehicle characteristics such as the size of shoulder room and the knee clearance are engineer metrics that influence the occupants’ perception for comfort. One specific characteristic influencing satisfaction is the headroom, which is the subject of this paper. The objective of this project is to analyze the relationship between the second row’s vehicle headroom with the occupant’s satisfaction under real world driving conditions, based on research, statistical data analysis and dynamic clinics
The goal of the Pedestrian Test Mannequin Task Force is to develop standard specifications/requirements for pedestrian test mannequins (1 adult and 1 child) that are representative of real pedestrians to the sensors used in Pedestrian Detection systems and can be used for performance assessment of such in-vehicle systems (including warning and/or braking) in real world test scenarios/conditions. This version of the document only includes the pedestrian mannequin for vision, Lidar, and/or 76 to 78 GHz radar based Pedestrian Pre-collision systems
Facial recognition software (FRS) is a form of biometric security that detects a face, analyzes it, converts it to data, and then matches it with images in a database. This technology is currently being used in vehicles for safety and convenience features, such as detecting driver fatigue, ensuring ride share drivers are wearing a face covering, or unlocking the vehicle. Public transportation hubs can also use FRS to identify missing persons, intercept domestic terrorism, deter theft, and achieve other security initiatives. However, biometric data is sensitive and there are numerous remaining questions about how to implement and regulate FRS in a way that maximizes its safety and security potential while simultaneously ensuring individual’s right to privacy, data security, and technology-based equality. Legal Issues Facing Automated Vehicles, Facial Recognition, and Individual Rights seeks to highlight the benefits of using FRS in public and private transportation technology and
In vehicle collisions, the lap belt should engage the anterior superior iliac spine (ASIS). In this study, three-dimensional (3D) shapes of bones and soft tissues around the pelvis were acquired using a computed tomography (CT) scan of 10 male and 10 female participants wearing a lap belt. Standing, upright sitting, and reclined postures were scanned using an upright CT and a supine CT scan system. In the upright sitting posture, the thigh height was larger with a higher BMI while the ASIS height did not change significantly with BMI. As a result, the height of the ASIS relative to the thigh (ASIS-thigh height) became smaller as the BMI increased. Because the thigh height of females was smaller than that of males, the ASIS-thigh height was larger for females than for males. As the ASIS-thigh height was larger, the overlap of the lap belt with the ASIS increased. Thus, the lap belt overlapped more with the ASIS for the females than for the males. The abdomen outer shape is characterized
Automotive safety devices, such as airbags and seatbelts, are generally designed for optimal performance when occupants adopt a “nominal” upright anatomical sitting position. While a driver’s sitting behavior is largely influenced by the requirements of driving, a passenger may adopt any number of non-nominal positions and behaviors. Very few studies have investigated the behaviors that teen and adult passengers actually adopt. The present study investigates self-reported non-nominal sitting in passengers and quantifies the influence of age and anthropometrics on these behaviors. A better understanding of passenger behavior is a timely research topic because advanced sensors may eventually allow better detection of non-nominal sitting and the advent of autonomous vehicles increases the number of passengers and seating options. Ten online survey questions were created to assess how frequently non-nominal sitting was adopted. Results were obtained from 561 anonymous participants, ranging
We recently developed a three-direction (vertical, longitudinal, and lateral) coupled biodynamic model of seated posture under vibration. However, in that study we only tested one algorithm to identify the model parameters. This article investigates four different optimization solvers in Matlab®, i.e., particle swarm optimization (particleswarm), particle swarm and local optimization method (fmincon), genetic algorithm (ga) and local optimization method (fmincon), and local optimization method (fmincon) to identify coupled biodynamic model parameters. Based on the obtained parameters, it further compares experimental and simulation results to determine the best optimization solver in terms of the root mean square error (RMSE), linear regression (R 2), goodness of fit (ε), and Central Processing Unit (CPU) time. The results show that particle swarm optimization is the best one for identifying the biodynamic model’s parameters
As the technology is growing and the development of electric vehicles is advancing, though there are advancements in technology, an automobile will always have the challenges of Noise, Vibration, and Harshness (NVH). With several years of study and research, various methodologies have been developed for the refinement of NVH in conventional vehicles (IC engines). But in terms of Battery Electric vehicles (BEV), we have new areas to explore to refine NVH. Currently, in the competitive market, developing a fully ground-up Electric vehicle (EV) is a challenge due to the aggressive product development timelines and high cost of development. As a result, many OEMs are considering converting their conventional existing vehicle to battery electric vehicles as they will need lesser product development timelines with their go-to-market strategy. This paper is focused on virtual NVH validations while converting an existing conventional vehicle body architecture to make it to a pure battery
Anthropometric data are crucial to vehicle ergonomics and safety design. The Chinese population has smaller body size than that of the Western population, while the current crash dummies were developed based on statures of the Western population. To provide effective crash protection for Chinese occupants and pedestrians, Chinese anthropometric data are needed. In the present study, three available Chinese anthropometric databases were surveyed and compared, and it was found that none of them can give reliable and complete anthropometric data. Thus, a mapping method was developed based on correlation and regression analysis to rebuild a reasonable and completed Chinese anthropometric database. Furthermore, the differences between Chinese body size and that of the current dummies were discussed and an example was given to demonstrate the influences of body size on injuries
Obesity rates are increasing among the general population. This study investigates the effect of obesity on ejection and injury risk in rollover crashes through analysis of field accident data contained in the National Automotive Sampling System-Crashworthiness Data System (NASS-CDS) database. The study involved front outboard occupants of age 15+ years in 1994+ model year vehicle rollover crashes. Occupants were sorted into two BMI groups, normal (18.5 kg/m2 ≤ BMI < 25.0 kg/m2) and obese (BMI ≥30 kg/m2). Complete and partial ejection risks were first assessed by seating location relative to roll direction and belt use. The risk of serious-to-fatal injuries (MAIS 3+F) in non-ejected occupants were then evaluated. The overall risk for complete ejection was 2.10% ± 0.43% when near-sided and 2.65% ± 0.63% when far-sided, with a similar risk for both the normal and obese BMI groups. Complete ejection was highest for unbelted occupants, irrespective of BMI, and uncommon for belted occupants
The various factors that affect ride comfort, including noise, vibrations and harshness (NVH) have been in focus in many research studies due to an increasing demand in ride comfort in the automotive industry. Vibrations have been highlighted as an important contribution to assess and predict overall ride comfort. The purpose of this paper is to present an approach to explain ride comfort with respect to vibration for the seated occupant based on a systematic literature review of previous fundamental research and to relate these results to the application in the contemporary automotive industry. The results from the literature study show that numerous research studies have determined how vibration frequency, magnitude, direction, duration affect human response to vibration. Also, the studies have highlighted how body posture, age, gender and anthropometry affect the human perception of comfort. An analysis was made of the consistency and inconsistency of the results obtained in the
In the fields of forensic accident reconstruction and biomechanical engineering, it is often necessary to estimate the length of a specific body segment for an individual, about whom little is known besides overall stature. Since body proportions and body segment lengths vary throughout the population, there will be some error in these estimations. The current study provides estimates for the accuracy of human body segment length predictions based on stature. In this study, four different methods for predicting body segment lengths based on stature were evaluated. Using publicly available adult and child anthropometric datasets, a leave-one-out cross validation analysis was conducted to evaluate the accuracy of each of the four methods in predicting body segment lengths. The results of the leave-one-out analysis showed that different prediction methods produced the best estimates for different body segment length measurements. When using the best method for each body segment, body
Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), commonly known as drones, are part of a new and budding industry in the United States. Economic and public benefits associated with UAS use across multiple commercial sectors are driving new regulations which alter the stringent laws currently restricting UAS flights over people. As new regulations are enacted and more UAS populate the national airspace, there is a need to both understand and quantify the risk associated with UAS impacts with the uninvolved public. The purpose of this study was to investigate the biomechanical response and injury outcomes of Post Mortem Human Surrogates (PMHS) subjected to UAS head impacts. For this work, PMHS were tested with differing UAS vehicles at multiple impact angles, locations and speeds. Using a custom designed launching device, UAS vehicles were accelerated into the frontal, parietal, or vertex portions of subjects’ craniums at speeds up to 22 m/s. Of the 35 UAS impacts carried out, one AIS 2+ injury was
It is expected that Level 4 and 5 automated driving systems-dedicated vehicles (ADS-DVs) will eventually enable persons to travel at will who are otherwise unable to obtain a driver's license for a conventional vehicle, namely, persons with certain visual, cognitive, and/or physical impairments. This information report focuses on these disabilities, but also provides guidance for those with other disabilities. This report is limited to fleet operated on-demand shared mobility scenarios, as this is widely considered to be the first way people will be able to interact with ADS-DVs. To be more specific, this report does not address fixed route transit services or private vehicle ownership. Similarly, this report is focused on road-worthy vehicles; not scooters, golf carts, etc. Lastly, this report does not address the design of chair lifts, ramps, or securements for persons who use wheeled mobility devices (WHMD) (e.g., wheelchair, electric cart, etc.), as these matters are addressed by
This SAE Recommended Practice is intended to provide guidelines for the identification of subjects used in dynamic tests. It establishes recommendations for location and description of target areas on test subjects or test devices, as well as recommendations for photographic calibration and timing
Items per page:
50
1 – 50 of 473