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The objective of this study was to analyze the position of the shoulder belt and adjustable upper anchorage (AUA) relative to the occupant in recent (2011-2012) NHTSA NCAP frontal crash tests. Since 2011, certain changes have been made in the NCAP test procedure. These changes include different Hybrid III occupant sizes as well as variations in the methods for calculating injury risk. One of the most significant changes has to do with thoracic injury risk calculation which was previously associated with chest acceleration and is now based on chest deflection as the measurable parameter. Using the NHTSA NCAP database, as well as other crash test data sources, a comparison was made between the designated upper anchorage position prior to a crash test and the actual position of the belt webbing with respect to the chest deflection measurement potentiometer sub-assembly of the Hybrid III.

According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) speed-related traffic fatalities accounted for 31% of total fatalities on U.S. roadways in 2003. Traditional speed control methods suffer from significant shortcomings. Adaptation (ISA) systems hold the promise of safer roadways through improving driver compliance with speed limits. This paper describes the development of a new multi-modal speed adaptation system to be tested in the CISR car-driving simulator. The system is capable of adapting to the driver's driving style and provides appropriate warning for over speeding based on the vehicle speed, speed limit, driver individual preferences, and risk factor. A hierarchical manager module determines the warning strategy. The adequate warning strategy is specific to driving situations and individual characteristics. Modes of warnings being considered include VISUAL, and HAPTIC.

This study assessed the primary involved physical components attributed to the head and face injuries of child occupants seated directly adjacent to the stuck side of a vehicle in a side impact collision. The findings presented in this study were based upon analysis of the National Automotive Sampling System/Crashworthiness Data System (NASS/CDS) for the years 1993–2007. Injury analysis was conducted for those nearside child occupants aged between 1–12 years-old. The involved children were classified as toddler-type, booster-type, or belted-type occupants. These classifications were based upon the recommended restraint system for the occupant. Injury mechanisms were assessed for the child occupants in each of the three groups. A detailed study of NASS/CDS cases was conducted to provide a greater understanding of the associated injury mechanisms.

This paper presents an analysis of the National Automotive Sampling System (NASS) and the Fatal Accident Reporting Systems (FARS) data for the combined years 1988–97 with respect to side impacts. Accident variables, vehicle variables, occupant variables and their interactions have been considered, with special emphasis on occupant injury patterns. The crash modes considered are car-to-car, car-to-LTV (light trucks and vans) and car to narrow object, with special emphasis on the latter two. This study was undertaken to obtain a better understanding of injury patterns in lateral impacts, their associated causation factors, and to obtain information that will assist in prioritizing crash injury research problems in near side impacts. Of particular interest is the increase in the population of light trucks and vans and their influence on side impact priorities. Conclusions will be drawn regarding the frequency and injury severity of car-to-LTV’s and car to narrow objects.

An optical sensor for the detection of carbon dioxide concentrations and stable isotope ratios is described. Either a continuous wave, fiber-coupled distributed feedback laser or an external cavity laser is used to pump an optical cavity absorption cell in cw-Cavity Ringdown Spectroscopy (cw-CRDS). This technique exploits the sensitivity enhancements provided by the long effective pathlength from the optical cavity created between two highly reflective mirrors (R>0.9999). The inherently high precision of the technique combined with its rapid data throughput allows for reliable measurements of both concentration and the isotopic composition of the sampled carbon dioxide. Data collected using a prototype of this sensor could be useful for monitoring module occupancy, crew health (through breath tests), and plant growth chambers.

The progress in the development of a sensor for the detection of trace air constituents to monitor spacecraft air quality is reported. A continuous wave, external-cavity tunable diode laser centered at 1.55 μm is used to pump an optical cavity absorption cell in cw-Cavity Ringdown Spectroscopy (cw-CRDS). This technique exploits the sensitivity enhancements provided by the long effective pathlength from the optical cavity created between two highly reflective mirrors (R>0.9999). Preliminary results are presented that demonstrate the sensitivity, selectivity, and reproducibility of this method. Detection limits of 2.0 ppm for CO, 2.5 ppm for CO2, 1.8 ppm for H2O, 19.4 ppb for NH3, 7.9 ppb for HCN, and 4.0 ppb for C2H2 are calculated.

This paper investigates the effects of driver airbag inflation characteristics, airbag relative position, airbag to dummy relative velocity, and steering column characteristics using a finite element model of a vehicle, air bag, and Hybrid III 50% male dummy. Simulation is conducted in a static test environment using a validated finite element model. Several static simulation tests are performed where the air bag module's position is mounted in a rigid steering wheel and the vertical and horizontal distances are varied relative to the dummy. Three vertical alignments are used: one position corresponds to the head centered on module, another position corresponds to the neck centered on module, and the third position centers the chest on the module. Horizontal alignments vary from 0 mm to 50 mm to 100 mm. All of these tests are simulated using a typical pre-1998 type inflation curve (mass flow rate of gas entering the bag).

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) conducted a total of 28 frontal crashes in the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) involving the 10-year-old child Hybrid III dummy. The 10-year-old child dummy was in the rear seat. All types of vehicles (passenger cars, sport utility vehicles, vans and pick-up trucks) were tested to assess the effect of restraint systems such as booster and pretensioner on the rear seat occupant. In this study, the readings of the 10-year-old child dummy in rear-left and rear-right seat positions are examined. The authors apply a possible 5 star rating system, based on head and chest readings of the 10-year-old dummy. The paper also assesses the safety performance of rear seat occupants and the effect of the restraint systems on a child in the rear seat. This paper suggests that a star rating for rear seat occupants is independent of the present ratings for the driver and front adult passenger in NCAP.

Investigators from three institutions have partnered in a Rapid Technology Development Team whose goal will be the deployment of laser-based sensors for air-constituent measurements on board spacecrafts. The sensors will eventually be based on Type II Interband Cascade (IC) lasers being developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. These lasers will be used in implementations of both photo acoustic spectroscopy based on the use of quartz tuning fork oscillators as a resonant acoustic sensor (QE-PAS) and cavity ring down spectroscopy (CRDS). In the first year of the program, work at Rice and George Washington Universities has focused on the development of both QEPAS and CRDS sensors for ammonia using near infrared lasers. Simultaneously, the JPL portion of the team has fabricated both Fabry Perot and distributed feedback lasers in the mid infrared that can be used for formaldehyde detection.

In this study, the level of protection offered to rear seat occupants in frontal crashes is investigated. The Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) and National Automotive Sampling System Crashworthiness Data System (NASS CDS) databases were used for the analyses. The investigation focused on: 1- estimating the fatality protection effectiveness of the rear seat position relative to the right front seat position, using the double paired comparison method, 2- evaluating the effect of control group selection method on effectiveness predictions, and 3- identifying trends in rear seat occupant protection over model years of vehicles. By applying a uniform control group to the double paired comparison analysis of FARS data, this study suggests that all ages of occupants are safer in the rear seat than in the right front seat. Effectiveness estimates ranged from 5.9% to 82% for different age groups of occupants.