2010-2011

Comparing FMVSS 213 Sled Test to the Full-scale Vehicle Crash Environment (Multiple Year Project)

Principal Investigator: Matthew R. Maltese, PhD

The long-term goal of this study is to determine the effect of geometric and material modifications to the FMVSS 213 bench on the ability of the bench, used in regulatory sled testing, to replicate a real vehicle seat in a crash.

Injury Risk to Belted Occupants (Multiple Year Project)

Principal Investigator: Kristy Arbogast, PhD

The objective of this study is to continue exploration of the injuries and their causation experienced by seat belt restrained occupants - both adults and children - in the rear seat in order to understand if pre-teens and adolescents are at an elevated risk.

Effects of Sleep Restriction on Adolescents’ Pedestrian Safety

Principal Investigator: David Schwebel, PhD

This study investigates whether sleep restriction reduces adolescents’ pedestrian safety.

Effect of Distraction on Teen Driving Performance in an Emotionally Realistic Driving Simulator

Principal Investigator: Yi-Ching Lee, PhD

The objectives of this research are to: (1) create in-vehicle stressful tasks to distract teen drivers while measuring teens' abilities to handle environmental stressful events, and (2) measure teens' beliefs and behaviors about in-vehicle distractions by measuring their risk-taking and decision-making characteristics.

Head Injury Contact Points for Children Seated on the Rear Rows in Frontal Crashes

Principal Investigator: Kristy Arbogast, PhD

The objective of this study is to delineate head/face injury causation scenarios for rear-seated, restrained children in frontal crashes and create a contact map of the vehicle interior.

Examining Cognitive Variables and Decision-making Strategies Related to Adolescent Driver Performance

Principal Investigator: Jessica H. Mirman, PhD

The objective of this study is to understand the interplay between risk perceptions and risky driving behaviors within a peer context and to inform the development of a training program for novice adolescent drivers to prevent risky driving behaviors.

Neurocognitive Evaluation of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in the Pediatric Emergency Department Population (Multiple Year Project)

Principal Investigator: Michael L. Nance, MD

This study applies neurocognitive testing to an emergency department cohort of pediatric patients with mild traumatic brain injury.

Development of Premature Infant Anthropomorphic Test Device (ATD)

Principal Investigator: Sriram Balasuramanian, PhD

The goal of the proposed study is to develop a physical model of a premature infant based on geometric data obtained from whole body CT scans. The geometric data will also be used to develop a computational surface model of a premature infant.

Characterization of the Pediatric Shoulder’s Resistance to Various Loading Conditions

Principal Investigator: John H. Bolte IV, PhD

The specific aim of this study is to define the dynamic response of the pediatric shoulder by non-invasively analyzing its resistance to lateral impact loading conditions.