BIO-ADVANCE

Advancing traffic safety through the investigation of human tolerance to impact

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'Motor vehicle crashes are responsible for more than 1.2 million deaths a year and predictions for 2020 place them as the third leading contributor to the global burden of disease and injury (WHO, 2004). Restraint systems have reduced the number of fatalities and injured occupants over the last decades and great expectations are placed on the contribution to safety of active systems. And yet, achieving the optimum protection for all kind of car passengers (women, pediatric, elderly) still remains a challenge. Restraint systems are designed based on the results from simulated crashes using either physical models (crash test dummies) or computer models. The quality of the results from these simulations relies on the ability of the models to behave like a real human occupant, i.e. on the biofidelity of the models. The closer model to a human living is a cadaver or a Post-Mortem-Human-Subject (PMHS). PMHS tests constitute the best assessment of new restraint systems and the major source of data to improve the biofidelity of the aforementioned models. The BIO-ADVANCE proposal aims to develop and establish the procedures to start the first research program involving PMHS testing in Spain. After four years of experience managing and directly performing several series of frontal and oblique simulated PMHS impacts, the researcher will carry out the required adaptation of the crash facility of the University of Zaragoza (host institution) to the particularities of PMHS testing. This proposal brings also into play the collaboration with the European Center for Injury Prevention to procure the donated bodies and to investigate injury causation and tolerances to impact. The structural goal of BIO-ADVANCE is to capacitate the University of Zaragoza so that PMHS tests can be performed in its current crash test facility. The research goal is to investigate on the kinematics of the human spine in frontal and oblique impacts performing six fully instrumented PMHS sled tests.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

Motor vehicle crashes are one of the largest contributors to global diseases and injury. To optimise restraint systems, Spain has established state-of-the-art facilities to track the kinematics of the most realistic occupant surrogates available.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

Crash test dummies have evolved substantially yet it is still difficult to produce an accurate model of populations such as pregnant women, children and the elderly. There is simply not enough data on the effects of accidents in these groups. With extremely careful attention to ethics, scientists have provided valuable insight using post-mortem human subjects (PMHSs) as well as the most advanced crash test dummy available, THOR.

EU support of the project 'Advancing traffic safety through the investigation of human tolerance to impact' (BIO-ADVANCE) enabled the coordinator to establish the first research centre for impact testing using PMHSs in Spain. A state-of-the-art preparation room with a portable X-ray machine was constructed for both body preparation and post-test assessment. Studies of 3D kinematics during high-speed impact took place in the sled room. A newly acquired 10-camera Vicon infrared marker-tracking system enabled motion tracking.

Obtaining PMHSs required very stringent adherence to both ethical and legal requirements. The coordinator joined established donor programmes, obtained explicit permission from donors or their next-of-kin for inclusion, and established an Oversight Committee. The methodology was approved by the Clinical Research Ethics Assessment Commission of Aragon.

The focus of BIO-ADVANCE was investigation of human spine kinematics in pure frontal and oblique impacts using research protocols based on international experience. A world-leading automotive restraint manufacturer on the Oversight Committee provided THOR and new restraint systems not yet available on the market.

BIO-ADVANCE performed 19 dummy tests on THOR and four PMHS tests to assess the performance of three different types of seat belts. The experiments also provided data that can be used to compare the behaviour of the advanced crash test dummy compared to human tissue, aiding in optimisation of the dummy itself.

The project was publicised widely through participation in local, national and international radio, television and newspapers. Events with engineering students were organised to explain the nature of the work and the results. Close cooperation with industry should guarantee that societal benefits follow closely on the heels of experimental success.