Browse Topic: Anatomy

Items (5,067)
Drivers of tipper vehicles due to the nature of the application of carrying heavy loads as well as the rough terrain in off-road conditions are either continuously or intermittently exposed to comprehensive magnitudes of low frequency high amplitude whole-body vibration. This being attenuated due to the nature of the primary vehicle suspension, which is designed to take higher tonnages of load carrying capacity as well as to withstand the rigors of the off road terrain conditions. Prolonged occupational exposure to such vibration has been associated with disorders of the lumbar spine and the connected nervous system. This paper deals with the selection of driver seat suspension to reduce and dampen the transmission of potentially injurious vibration and shock motions to the seated drivers
Venkatesh, SrinivasaPrabhakaran, Baskaran
A silicone membrane for wearable devices is more comfortable and breathable thanks to better-sized pores made with the help of citric acid crystals. The new preparation technique fabricates thin, silicone-based patches that rapidly wick water away from the skin. The technique could reduce the redness and itching caused by wearable biosensors that trap sweat beneath them. The technique was developed by bioengineer and professor Young-Ho Cho and his colleagues at KAIST and reported in the journal Scientific Reports
A thin film that combines an electrode grid and LEDs can both track and produce a visual representation of the brain’s activity in real time. The device is designed to provide neurosurgeons visual information about a patient’s brain to monitor brain states during surgical interventions to remove brain lesions including tumors and epileptic tissue
Komatsu introduced its first battery-electric load-haul-dump (LHD) machine, the WX04B, at the MINExpo tradeshow in September. The WX04B is designed specifically for narrow vein mines in underground hard rock mining operations. Komatsu is pairing the electric LHD with its new OEM-agnostic 150-kW battery charger that was also revealed in Las Vegas. The 4-tonne WX04B LHD features what Komatsu claims is best-in-class energy density, offering up to four hours of runtime on a single charge. The Li-ion NMC (nickel-manganese-cobalt) battery from Proterra has a capacity of 165 kWh and nominal voltage of 660 V. Fewer charge cycles are needed compared to competitors, the company claims, which helps to maximize operational efficiency and minimize downtime. Proterra and Komatsu began their collaboration on the LHD's H Series battery system in 2021, long before Komatsu's acquisition of American Battery Solutions (ABS) in December 2023
Gehm, Ryan
The introduction of unrestrained torso neck braces as a safety intervention for helmeted motorcycle riders has introduced a set of unsolved challenges. Understanding the injury prevention afforded by these devices depends on a reliable test methodology by which to critically evaluate their efficacy against the most common mechanisms of neck injury. An inverted pendulum test is proposed to evaluate compression flexion (CF), tension flexion (TF), and tension extension (TE) of the neck using a Hybrid III anthropomorphic test device (HIII ATD) neck and a motorcycle-specific ATD (MATD) neck. In addition to investigating methods to quantify the beneficial effects of a neck brace, potential adverse effects of such a device are evaluated by measuring and evaluating relevant neck response measures. To that end, measured data using a current neck brace were analyzed and applied to various injury criteria related to the ATD neck used to compare the injury risk predicted by each parameter. The
de Jongh, Cornelis U.Basson, Anton H.Knox, Erick H.Leatt, Christopher J.
ABSTRACT Over the last several years all branches of the United States military have experienced an increased number of orthopedic and internal injuries to knees lower back, neck, and digestive system. Additionally the level of severity has also been increasing. Primary cause factors contributing to the overall increase in injuries to US military personnel include the increase in overall individual loads being carried by the individual soldier which at times can approach 150 pounds, higher operations tempo which results in greater exposure to higher levels of impact forces and for a greater duration. The greater impact forces are a result of the poor design of the current bench deployed on United States tactical vehicles, and the brutal nature of the third world transportation networks in Afghanistan and Iraq. This paper documents the engineering approach utilized by AOM Engineering Solutions to achieve the following primary design objectives; improved ergonomic design for injury
Micheli, JohnDonovan, LTC Ken
ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to optimize the occupant restraint systems (including both seatbelt and airbag) in a light tactical vehicle under frontal crash conditions through a combination of sled testing and computational modeling. Two iterations of computational modeling and sled testing were performed to find the optimal restraint design solutions for protecting occupants represented by three size of ATDs (namely Hybrid-III 5th percentile female ATD, 50th percentile male ATD, and 95th male ATD) and two military gear configurations, namely improved outer tactical vest (IOTV) and SAW Gunner configuration using a tactical assault panel (TAP). The sled tests with the optimized seatbelt and airbag designs provided significant improvement on the head, neck, chest, and femur injury risks compared to the baseline tests. This study demonstrated the benefit of adding a properly designed airbag and advanced seatbelt to improve the occupant protection in frontal crashes for a light
Hu, JingwenOrton, NicholeChen, CongRupp, Jonathan D.Reed, Matthew P.Gruber, RebekahScherer, Risa
ABSTRACT The objective of this effort is to create parametric Computer-Aided Design (CAD) accommodation models for crew and dismount workstations with specific tasks. The CAD accommodation models are statistical models that have been created utilizing data from the Seated Soldier Study and follow-on studies. The final products are parametric CAD models that provide geometric boundaries indicating the required space and adjustments needed for the equipped Soldiers’ helmet, eyes, torso, knees, boots, controls, and seat travel. Clearances between the Soldier and surrounding interior surfaces and direct field of view have been added per MIL-STD-1472H. The CAD models can be applied early in the vehicle design process to ensure accommodation requirements are met and help explore possible design tradeoffs when conflicts with other design parameters exist. The CAD models are available to government and industry partners and via the GVSC public website once they have undergone Verification
Huston, Frank J.Zielinski, Gale L.Reed, Matthew P.
ABSTRACT The study describes the development of a plug-in module of the realistic 3D Digital Human Modeling (DHM) tool RAMSIS that is used to optimize product development of military vehicle systems. The use of DHM in product development has been established for years. DHM for the development of military vehicles requires not only the representation of the vehicle occupants, but also the representation of equipment and simulation of the impact of such equipment on the Warfighter. To simulate occupants in military vehicles, whether land or air based, realistically, equipment must become an integral part of the extended human model. Simply attaching CAD-geometry to one manikin’s element is not sufficient. Equipment size needs to be scalable with respect to anthropometry, impact on joint mobility needs to be considered with respect to anatomy. Those aspects must be integrated in posture prediction algorithms to generate objective, reliable and reproducible results to help design engineers
Kuebler, ThorstenWirsching, HansBarnes, David
ABSTRACT The CAMEL program focused on force protection and demonstrated the possibility to protect occupants through higher underbelly blast levels than normally or previously observed. This required a holistic vehicle systems engineering approach to mitigate blast injuries that both optimized existing systems as well as developed new technologies. The result was zero injury to all occupants as assessed by 5th, 50th, and 95th percentile encumbered ATDs during survivability blast testing. Twelve full scale objective-level blast tests were performed on over seventy fully-instrumented ATDs without a single lower-extremity injury. The lower limb protection was provided by an isolated floor system. This system was developed from the ground-up and occupant-out during the CAMEL program. This paper chronicles the CAMEL floor system’s creation, design, testing, and development process
Kwiatkowski, KevinWatson, ChristopherKorson, Chantelle
ABSTRACT In this paper, we discuss a neuroimaging experiment that employed a mission-based scenario (MBS) design, a new approach for designing experiments in simulated environments for human subjects [1]. This approach aims to enhance the realism of the Soldier-task-environment interaction by eliminating many of the tightly-scripted elements of a typical laboratory experiment; however, the absence of these elements introduces several challenges for both the experimental design and statistical analysis of the experimental data. Here, we describe an MBS experiment using a simulated, closed-hatch crewstation environment. For each experimental session, two Soldiers participated as a Commander-Driver team to perform six simulated low-threat security patrol missions. We discuss challenges faced while designing and implementing the experiment before addressing analysis approaches appropriate for this type of experimentation. We conclude by highlighting three example transition pathways from
Vettel, Jean M.Lance, Brent J.Manteuffel, ChrisJaswa, MatthewCannon, MarcelJohnson, TonyPaul, VictorOie, Kelvin S.
ABSTRACT Recent advances in neuroscience, signal processing, machine learning, and related technologies have made it possible to reliably detect brain signatures specific to visual target recognition in real time. Utilizing these technologies together has shown an increase in the speed and accuracy of visual target identification over traditional visual scanning techniques. Images containing a target of interest elicit a unique neural signature in the brain (e.g. P300 event-related potential) when detected by the human observer. Computer vision exploits the P300-based signal to identify specific features in the target image that are different from other non-target images. Coupling the brain and computer in this way along with using rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP) of the images enables large image datasets to be accurately interrogated in a short amount of time. Together this technology allows for potential military applications ranging from image triaging for the image analyst
Ries, Anthony J.Lance, BrentSajda, Paul
ABSTRACT With US military casualties mounting due to Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and other roadside bombs, improving the protective capabilities of armored vehicles for service personnel is of paramount importance. Accurate numerical simulations of the blast event provide a means to quickly and economically evaluate the blast-protection performance of armored vehicles, and to develop improved blast countermeasures. This effort developed computational simulations of a system intended to mitigate blast accelerations to a level where the acceleration is no longer a lethal threat to the occupants of an armored vehicle. The hypothesis is that through the manipulation of the mass ratio, stiffness and damping properties of a dual-hull system, the capability of current Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles can be greatly improved. The results show that, in comparison to the standard single-hull vehicle, the dual-hull vehicle reduces head injury criteria by 95.7%, neck
Schaffner, GrantMiller, Adam
With the capability of predicting detailed injury of occupants, the Human Body Model (HBM) was used to identify potential injuries for occupants in car impact events. However, there are few publications on using HBM in the aviation industry. This study aims to investigate and compare the head, neck, lumbar spine and thoracic responses of the Hybrid III and the THUMS (Total Human Model for Safety) model in the horizontal 26g and vertical 19g sled tests required by the General Aviation Aircraft Airworthiness Regulations. The HIC of THUMS and Hybrid III did not exceed the requirements of airworthiness regulations. Still, THUMS had higher intracranial pressures and intracranial stresses, which could result in brain injury to the occupants. In vertical impact, the highest stress of the neck of THUMS appears at the cervical spine C2 and the upper neck is easily injured; in horizontal impact, the cervical spine C7 has the highest load, and the lower neck is easily injured. Due to the low
Shi, XiaopengDing, XiangheGuo, KaiLiu, TianfuXie, Jiang
ABSTRACT This study investigated the effect of an innovative chilling device that intends to make subjects more alert and less sleepy. Tests were conducted using a variety of methods including electric-encephalography (EEG) brain tomography. A series of behavioral tests showed an increase in alertness, changes of body temperatures, and performance indicators after usage of this device. The device chills specific areas of the body and disrupts the body’s ability to self-regulate core body temperature. The induced temperature shifts may reduce the body’s capability to go to sleep. Physiological changes and brain wave indicators of alertness were also reviewed in this paper. A full study of alertness indicators in expanded driver simulations is recommended. As for future application of this device to Human Factors aspects, this device may have the potential to enhance alertness in the human dimension of machine operation of manned and unmanned assets with further improvement
Hsieh, LiRanalli, RJ
Prevention and diagnosis of traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are reliant on understanding the biomechanical response of the brain to external stimuli. Finite element models (FEM) and artificial head surrogates are becoming a common method of investigating the dynamic response of the brain to injurious impact and inertial stimuli. The accuracy and validity of these models is reliant on postmortem human subject (PMHS) research to produce biofidelic brain tissue responses. Previous PMHS research has been performed to measure intracranial pressures, displacements, and strains when subjected to impact and inertial loading; however, there remains a need for additional PMHS datasets to improve our understanding of the brain’s dynamics. The purpose of this study is to measure the relative brain–skull displacement in a PMHS specimen when subjected to blunt force impacts. A high-speed X-ray (HSXR) imaging system and embedded radiopaque elastomeric markers were used to record PMHS impacts at
Demiannay, Jean-JacquesRovt, JenniferBrannen, MacKenzieXu, ShengKang, GiaYip, AshleyAzadi, Amir HosseinDehghan, ParisaGoodwin, ShannonTaylor, ReggiePoon, KatherineBrien, SusanHoshizaki, BlaineKarton, ClaraPetel , Oren
Ongoing research in simulated vehicle crash environments utilizes postmortem human subjects (PMHS) as the closest approximation to live human response. Lumbar spine injuries are common in vehicle crashes, necessitating accurate assessment methods of lumbar loads. This study evaluates the effectiveness of lumbar intervertebral disc (IVD) pressure sensors in detecting various loading conditions on component PMHS lumbar spines, aiming to develop a reliable insertion method and assess sensor performance under different loading scenarios. The pressure sensor insertion method development involved selecting a suitable sensor, using a customized needle-insertion technique, and precisely placing sensors into the center of lumbar IVDs. Computed tomography (CT) scans were utilized to determine insertion depth and location, ensuring minimal tissue disruption during sensor insertion. Tests were conducted on PMHS lumbar spines using a robotic test system for controlled loading in flexion
Burns, Michael R.Caldwell, A. JamesShin, JeesooSochor, Sara H.Kopp, Kevin P.Shaw, GregGepner, BronislawKerrigan, Jason R.
Exploring the mechanical properties of soft tissues under compressive loading is crucial for understanding their role in automobile incidents. Soft tissues, which serve as cushions or padding between bone and vehicle interiors, significantly influence contact duration and forces, thereby altering incident kinematics and injury. In this investigation, muscle and soft connective tissues from post-mortem human subjects (PMHS) forearms were excised and subjected to compression and indentation testing methods at various rates and strains. Specific samples with higher proportions of muscle were compared against samples without muscle tissues to evaluate the role of compositional changes. Anthropomorphic test device (ATD) upper extremity foam and vinyl–foam composite analog tissues underwent similar testing for comparison. High impact rates simulating those in high-speed automotive collisions were achieved using a custom-built drop tower impactor setup. The results revealed significantly
Dennis, Cole J.Quenneville, Cheryl E.
Rear-end vehicle collisions may lead to whiplash-associated disorders (WADs), comprising a variety of neck and head pain responses. Specifically, increased axial head rotation has been associated with the risk of injuries during rear impacts, while specific tissues, including the capsular ligaments, have been implicated in pain response. Given the limited experimental data for out-of-position rear impact scenarios, computational human body models (HBMs) can inform the potential for tissue-level injury. Previous studies have considered external boundary conditions to reposition the head axially but were limited in reproducing a biofidelic movement. The objectives of this study were to implement a novel head repositioning method to achieve targeted axial rotations and evaluate the tissue-level response for a rear impact condition. The repositioning method used reference geometries to rotate the head to three target positions, showing good correspondence to reported interverbal rotations
Reis, Matheus SeifCronin, Duane
Mitigating both neck and head injuries in the pediatric population relies heavily on improving our understanding of the underlying biomechanics of the pediatric cervical spine. The tensile response for individual motion segments and the whole cervical spine (WCS) has been reported, but there is no data characterizing the intersegmental kinematics of pediatric WCS under axial loading conditions. The structural response of motion segments and WCS provide valuable data for the design and validation of biofidelic physical and computational models for the pediatric population. However, the use of motion segment data to construct WCS response or the use of WCS axial response to accurately characterize intersegmental response may present limitations to accurately modeling the pediatric cervical spine response. In this secondary analysis of the work of Luck et al. (2008, 2013), the fixed-fixed, low load, quasi-static tensile response of the WCS and individual motion segments (O-C2, C4-C5, and
Liu, MirandaLuck, Jason F.
Seventeen research posters were prepared and presented by student authors. The posters covered a wide breadth of works-in-progress and recently completed projects. Topics included a variety of body regions and injury scenarios: Biofidelity Corridors of Powered Two-Wheeler Rider Kinematics from Full-Scale Crash Testing Using Postmortem Human Subjects, Meringolo et al. Cervical Vertebral and Spinal Cord Injuries Remain Overrepresented in Rollover Occupants, Al-Salehi et al. The Effect of Surfaces on Knee Biomechanics during a 90-Degree Cut, Rhodes et al. Investigating the Variabilities in the Spinal Cord Injury in Pig Models Using Benchtop Test Model and Ultrasound Analyses, Borjali et al. Relationship between Tackle Form and Head Kinematics in Youth Football, Holcomb et al. Comparing Motor Vehicle Collision Injury Incidence between Pregnant and Nonpregnant Individuals: A Case–Control Study, Levine et al. Development of an Automated Pipeline to Characterize Full Rib Cage Shape
Bautsch, Brian T.Cripton, Peter A.Cronin, Duane
Thorax injuries are a significant cause of mortality in automotive crashes, with varying susceptibility across sex and age demographics. Finite element (FE) human body models (HBMs) offer the potential for injury outcome analysis by incorporating anthropometric variations. Recent advancements in material constitutive models, cortical bone fracture and continuum damage mechanics model (CFraC) and an orthotropic trabecular bone model (OrthoT), offer the opportunity to further improve rib models. In this study, the CFraC and OrthoT material modes, coupled with age-specific material properties, were progressively implemented to the Global Human Body Model Consortium small female 6th rib. Four distinct 6th rib models were developed and compared against sex and age-specific experimental data. The updated material models notably refined the predictions of force–displacement responses, aligning them more closely with the experimental averages. The CFraC model significantly improved the
Corrales, Miguel A.Holcombe, SvenAgnew, Amanda M.Kang, Yun-SeokMarkusic, CraigSugaya, HisakiCronin, Duane S.
In the quest to develop lifelike materials to replace and repair human body parts, scientists face a formidable challenge: Real tissues are often both strong and stretchable and vary in shape and size
Researchers have succeeded in adding finger straightening or extension to soft rehabilitation gloves through a novel foldable pouch actuator (FPA) without compromising the already existing functionality of finger bending or flexion
A flexible and stretchable cell has been developed for wearable electronic devices that require a reliable and efficient energy source that can easily be integrated into the human body. Conductive material consisting of carbon nanotubes, crosslinked polymers, and enzymes joined by stretchable connectors, are directly printed onto the material through screenprinting
Thorax injury remains a primary contributor to mortality in car crash scenarios. Although human body models can be used to investigate thorax response to impact, isolated rib models have not been able to predict age- and sex-specific force-displacement response and fracture location simultaneously, which is a critical step towards developing human thorax models able to accurately predict injury response. Recent advancements in constitutive models and quantification of age- and sex-specific material properties, cross-sectional area, and cortical bone thickness distribution offer opportunities to improve rib computational models. In the present study, improved cortical and trabecular bone constitutive models populated with age-specific material properties, age- and sex-specific population data on rib cross-sectional area, and cortical bone thickness distribution were implemented into an isolated 6 th rib from a contemporary human body model. The enhanced rib model was simulated in
Corrales, Miguel A.Holcombe, SvenAgnew, Amanda M.Kang, Yun-SeokCronin, Duane S.
Road safety remains a critical concern globally, with millions of lives lost annually due to road accidents. In India alone, the year 2021 witnessed over 4,12,432 road accidents resulting in 1,53,972 fatalities and 3,84,448 injuries. The age group most affected by these accidents is 18-45 years, constituting approximately 67% of total deaths. Factors such as speeding, distracted driving, and neglect to use safety gear increases the severity of these incidents. This paper presents a novel approach to address these challenges by introducing a driver safety system aimed at promoting good driving etiquette and mitigating distractions and fatigue. Leveraging Raspberry Pi and computer vision techniques, the system monitors driver behavior in real-time, including head position, eye blinks, mouth opening and closing, hand position, and internal audio levels to detect signs of distraction and drowsiness. The system operates in both passive and active modes, providing alerts and alarms to the
Ganesh, KattaPrasad, Gvl
Forward-facing child restraint systems (FF CRS) and high-back boosters often contact the vehicle seat head restraint (HR) when installed, creating a gap between the back surface of the CRS and the vehicle seat. The effects of HR interference on dynamic CRS performance are not well documented. The objective of this study is to quantify the effects of HR interference for FF CRS and high-back boosters in frontal and far-side impacts. Production vehicle seats with prominent, removeable HRs were attached to a sled buck. One FF CRS and two booster models were tested with the HR in place (causing interference) and with the HR removed (no interference). A variety of installation methods were examined for the FF CRS. A total of twenty-four tests were run. In frontal impacts, HR interference produced small but consistent increases in frontal head excursion and HIC36. Head excursions were more directly related to the more forward initial position rather than kinematic differences caused by HR
Mansfield, Julie A.
University of Waterloo Chemical Engineering Researcher Dr. Elisabeth Prince teamed up with researchers from the University of Toronto and Duke University to design the synthetic material made using cellulose nanocrystals, which are derived from wood pulp. The material is engineered to replicate the fibrous nanostructures and properties of human tissues, thereby recreating its unique biomechanical properties
A new coronavirus test can get accurate results from a saliva sample in less than 30 minutes, researchers report in the journal Nature Communications. Many of the components of the handheld device used in this technology can be 3D printed, and the test can detect as little as one viral particle per 1-μL drop of fluid
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