2013-2014

Pediatric Advanced Automatic Crash Notification (Multiple Year Project)

Principal Investigator: Ashley Weaver, PhD

This project’s goal is to create scoring systems to better classify motor vehicle crash-related injuries in children. A second goal is to use these scoring systems to develop a refined advanced automatic crash notification (AACN) algorithm and to evaluate its benefit to society. This algorithm is intended to serve as a part of a comprehensive trauma system to deliver children to appropriate treatment facilities. Year 4 of the project will further refine…

Pediatric Advanced Automatic Crash Notification (Multiple Year Project)

Principal Investigator: Joel Stitzel, PhD

This project’s goal is to create scoring systems to better classify motor vehicle crash-related injuries in children. A second goal is to use these scoring systems to develop a refined advanced automatic crash notification (AACN) algorithm and to evaluate its benefit to society. This algorithm is intended to serve as a part of a comprehensive trauma system to deliver children to appropriate treatment facilities. Year 4 of the project will further refine…

Understanding and Predicting Human Driving Behaviors via Machine Learning Models (Multiple Year Project)

Principal Investigator: Yi-Ching Lee, PhD

Poor speed management is a key factor in teen driver crashes. In order to inform new training and technology to reduce teen crash risk due to poor speed management, a more complete understanding of this complex driving behavior is needed. Early results from our current CChIPS work indicate that machine learning techniques can be used to model drivers’ speed management behaviors. These techniques have the potential to become part of in-vehicle monitoring…

Pediatric Brain Injury Assessment in Real World Crashes (Multiple Year Project)

Principal Investigator: Matthew R. Maltese, PhD

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is the leading pediatric injury in motor vehicle crashes, and an ever-expanding array of safety systems are being developed that have the potential to mitigate TBI. Human body computer models are under development and have the potential to guide the development of such safety systems, but pediatric human body models are limited. In this project, investigators are developing a family of pediatric finite element (FE) brain…

Quantifying CRS Fit in the Vehicle Seat Environment – Digitization Approach (Multiple Year Project)

Principal Investigator: Aditya Belwadi, PhD

Automotive interior design optimization must balance the design of the vehicle seat and occupant space for safety, comfort and aesthetics with the accommodation of add-on restraint products such as child restraint systems (CRS). Important to this balance is understanding the breadth of CRS dimensions, especially as CRS design is constantly changing. Year 2 efforts will build on previous work by creating virtual surrogates of additional CRS types. The…

2016-2017

Active Safety Technology and Teen Drivers: Impressions, Perceived Need, and Intervention Preferences

Principal Investigator: Thomas Seacrist, MBE

Recently developed advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) have the potential to compensate for skill deficits and reduce overall crash risk. Yet, ADAS is only effective if drivers are willing to use it. Limited research has been conducted on the suitability of ADAS for teen drivers. The goal of this study is to use qualitative research methodology identify teen drivers' perceived need for ADAS, receptiveness to in-vehicle technology, and…

Usability of Non-standard Lower Anchor Spacing for CRS Installations

Principal Investigator: John H. Bolte IV, PhD

Vehicle manufacturers are under increased pressure from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) to provide the option of using LATCH in the rear center position of vehicles. One possible solution to this request is to allow consumers to “borrow” the inboard lower anchor from each outboard LATCH position to create a “simulated” center LATCH position. However, these borrowed lower…

Survey of Car Seat Usage, Knowledge, and Attitudes

Principal Investigator: John H. Bolte IV, PhD

Despite the careful development of best practice recommendations from the child passenger safety community, high rates of child restraint system misuse exist today. This study will identify topics of greatest concern to consumers by opening the lines of communication between consumers, industry, and researchers. Specifically, the study will gauge current caregiver attitudes regarding car seat usage; identify the reasoning behind parental car seat…

ATD Lower Extremity Interaction with the Front Seat Back during Sled Tests

Principal Investigator: Laura Boucher, PhD

Over the past five years a series of CChIPS-funded projects have focused on developing a more biofidelic Hybrid III 6 year-old ATD lower extremity. The broad objective of this research is to expand the understanding on how ATD legs are interacting with the front seat back and/or vehicle interior. This project will provide important evidence that the use of a front seat back during sled testing provides an important realistic environment for more adequate…

2014-2015

Pediatric Advanced Automatic Crash Notification (Multiple Year Project)

Principal Investigator: Ashley Weaver, PhD

This project’s goal is to create scoring systems to better classify motor vehicle crash-related injuries in children. A second goal is to use these scoring systems to develop a refined advanced automatic crash notification (AACN) algorithm and to evaluate its benefit to society. This algorithm is intended to serve as a part of a comprehensive trauma system to deliver children to appropriate treatment facilities. Year 4 of the project will further refine…

Pediatric Advanced Automatic Crash Notification (Multiple Year Project)

Principal Investigator: Joel Stitzel, PhD

This project’s goal is to create scoring systems to better classify motor vehicle crash-related injuries in children. A second goal is to use these scoring systems to develop a refined advanced automatic crash notification (AACN) algorithm and to evaluate its benefit to society. This algorithm is intended to serve as a part of a comprehensive trauma system to deliver children to appropriate treatment facilities. Year 4 of the project will further refine…

Pediatric Brain Injury Assessment in Real World Crashes (Multiple Year Project)

Principal Investigator: Matthew R. Maltese, PhD

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is the leading pediatric injury in motor vehicle crashes, and an ever-expanding array of safety systems are being developed that have the potential to mitigate TBI. Human body computer models are under development and have the potential to guide the development of such safety systems, but pediatric human body models are limited. In this project, investigators are developing a family of pediatric finite element (FE) brain…

2015-2016

Validation and Reliability Testing of a New Hybrid III 6-Year-Old Lower Extremity

Principal Investigator: Laura Boucher, PhD

The long-term objective of this project is to create an instrument that will provide researches and engineers the ability to directly evaluate the crash response of the new 6-year-old Hybrid III ATD lower extremity (ATD-LE), providing information on injury mechanism and injury tolerance of the ankle and leg. Additionally, the ATD-LE may also help lead to advances in car restraint system (CRS) design and automotive crash testing. 

Effect of ATD Certification Specification Variance on Full-scale Sled Testing Performance

Principal Investigator: Matthew R. Maltese, PhD

This project enhances our understanding of the regulatory test (FMVSS 213) that governs car restraint system (CRS) performance. The long-term objective of this line of research is to increase the engineering knowledge-base available to industry and researchers on the variability associated with the regulatory test procedures used to certify pediatric safety systems, thereby decreasing the time to bring new technologies to market and thus reducing…

Pediatric Brain Injury Assessment in Real World Crashes (Multiple Year Project)

Principal Investigator: Matthew R. Maltese, PhD

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is the leading pediatric injury in motor vehicle crashes, and an ever-expanding array of safety systems are being developed that have the potential to mitigate TBI. Human body computer models are under development and have the potential to guide the development of such safety systems, but pediatric human body models are limited. In this project, investigators are developing a family of pediatric finite element (FE) brain…

Differences in Injury Outcomes in Children Versus Adults

Principal Investigator: Ashley Weaver, PhD

The Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) is considered the global system of choice for injury data collection and has become the basis for a number of derivative scales in use. However, the AIS is largely based on mortality risk, and there may be age-specific differences in injury outcomes. The specific aim of this study is to identify the specific crash-related injuries that result in varying levels of morbidity and mortality in children, when compared to…

Quantifying CRS Fit in the Vehicle Seat Environment – Focusing on Incompatibilities

Principal Investigator: Amanda Agnew, PhD

Wide varieties of child restraint systems (CRS) and vehicle interior designs suggest that not every CRS can fit seamlessly into every vehicle. Previous work has identified specific areas of incompatibility between a large portion of CRS and vehicles available on the US market. The long-term objective of this study was to improve fitment between CRS and vehicle models by establishing the frequency, severity, and consequences of various incompatibilities.

Quantifying CRS Fit in the Vehicle Seat Environment – Focusing on Incompatibilities

Principal Investigator: Julie Mansfield, PhD

Wide varieties of child restraint systems (CRS) and vehicle interior designs suggest that not every CRS can fit seamlessly into every vehicle. Previous work has identified specific areas of incompatibility between a large portion of CRS and vehicles available on the US market. The long-term objective of this study was to improve fitment between CRS and vehicle models by establishing the frequency, severity, and consequences of various incompatibilities.

Dynamic Top Tether Loads in Various Anchor Locations in Side Impacts

Principal Investigator: Yun Seok Kang, PhD

Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) standardize the method to attach CRS to vehicles without using a seat belt. When properly used, the LATCH system usually protects the child from injuries in MVCs. It has been reported that the top tether has excellent advantages for injury prevention when properly used as compared with the same condition without the top tether attached. However, effectiveness of different top tether locations on dynamics…

Compatibility of Belt-positioning Boosters in Vehicles

Principal Investigator: Julie Mansfield, PhD

The broad objective of this research is to increase belt-positioning booster usage for children who are not yet large enough for adult seat belts. This study aims to quantify common compatibility issues which may be prompting poor usage rates of belt-positioning boosters, highlight the strengths and weaknesses of booster compatibility in the market today, and provide benchmark values for manufacturers to reference during design decisions.