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This study presents technologies of the triple hybrid landing gear for the OMOTENASHI(Outstanding Moon exploration Technologies demonstrated by Nano Semi-Hard Impactor) spacecraft, which consists of an airbag, a crushable material as a shock absorber, and an impact resistance structure. The inflated airbag has capability to possibly mitigate impact acceleration at the instant of landing and submergence into regolith that covers a planetary surface. The crushable material with lattice structures, manufactured by a metal 3D printer, serves a dual purpose: it dissipates kinetic energy and controls the impact acceleration at landing by compressing itself within a designed deceleration distance. Further, in the impact resistance structure, the protective object is filled with resin and hollow glass beads, and the impact resistance is improved while the weight reduction is maintained. This paper provides the technical details such as the required specification, verification test results, and assembly result of the surface probe as the smallest lander of the OMOTENASHI spacecraft. • The triple hybrid landing gear appeared for the world's smallest lunar lander. • Shock absorber, airbag, and shock-resistant structure were complementarily combined. • The shock absorber with excellent mounting capability was produced by a 3D printer. • The airbag shape was designed with the Terra-mechanics theory. • Development tests suitable for small landers were demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aims to establish best practices and guidelines to ensure that experimental research utilizing Postmortem Human Subjects (PMHS) for injury prevention adheres to relevant ethical principles, which are also commonly accepted in research involving human tissues and living subjects. Furthermore, it reviews existing literature to underscore the pivotal role of PMHS testing in evaluating the efficacy of safety systems, with a particular focus on airbag performance. Methods: This paper conducts an examination of the primary ethical principles governing human subject research as outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki (1965) and traces their evolution up to the latest framework proposed by the Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences (CIOMS) in 2002. Input was solicited from international experts and laboratories experienced in PMHS testing to understand how these ethical principles are implemented in practice. This is complemented by a comprehensive review of literature that assesses the contribution of PMHS testing to airbag performance enhancements in frontal impacts. Results: The findings underscore the importance of informed consent from donors or their next-of-kin, as highlighted in CIOMS declarations, to ensure the ethical integrity of the donation process in line with international standards. The study also finds it customary for an independent review board to evaluate the research methodology and the necessity of employing PMHS tissue over alternative methods, such as computational models or crash test dummies. Despite various national regulations on human subject participation and living tissue research, no specific legal framework governing PMHS tissue use was identified. The systematic literature review revealed that PMHS testing has been crucial in identifying potential injury mechanisms not detected by Anthropomorphic Test Devices (ATD), significantly contributing to the enhancement of computer human body models and the biofidelity of crash test dummies. Conclusion: The International Council on the Biomechanics of Injury (IRCOBI) recognizes the need to provide guidance for research involving human cadaveric tissue to be conducted with the highest ethical standards. This study proposes five recommendations to ensure adherence to these ethical principles in PMHS testing, highlighting the paramount importance of obtaining informed consent and securing independent committee approval. Moreover, IRCOBI emphasizes that until a thorough understanding of tissue damage tolerance levels is achieved and human surrogates, such as ATDs or Human Body Models (HBM), reach full biofidelity, the use of human cadavers remains indispensable for developing effective injury prevention strategies and measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Active wearable devices such as protective smart belts have been proposed to reduce hip impact in the event of a fall. This study primarily evaluated the feasibility and acceptance of a specific protective belt among selected patients identified as being at risk of falling who were admitted to an ICS Maugeri Neurorehabilitation Unit from September 2022 to April 2023. According to previous institutional observations, the device was worn between the 6th and 21st days of recovery. Out of 435 admitted patients, 118 were considered eligible, but 101 declined to participate (about 50% refused to wear the belt without first trying it on; the other 50% found it too heavy or difficult to manage). Among the 17 patients who accepted (users), 9 used the belt correctly. The remaining eight patients refused to wear it after 24 h, due to discomfort. Out of 435 patients admitted, we observed at least one fall in 49 patients, of whom 5 were eligible patients; 1 was a user who had quickly refused to use the belt and fell with mild damage. Two non-eligible patients and one eligible non-user patient experienced falls resulting in hip fractures; only in the latter case could the use of the belt have limited the damage to the hip. Difficulties in recruiting patients and low acceptance of the proposed intervention present further challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Injuries due to automobile safety devices have been reported and we report a rare fatality due to a defective airbag system. A compact hybrid car driven by a 37-year-old male at moderate speed had crashed through an unprotected manhole. The car had moved around 200 m before it came to a halt. The passers-by had noticed that the driver was unconscious, partly leaning forward with an inflated airbag. He was pronounced dead on admission. The car had sustained minor indentation on front bumper. Autopsy revealed a circular perforated laceration on the neck associated with completely transected right carotid artery and partially transected jugular vein. There was a 2 × 2-cm cylindrical metal object lodged at C4–C5 vertebrae level, and the remaining part of this was retrieved during scene investigation and identified as a part of a metal canister in the inflator component of the airbag system. There was a perforation in the airbag which was similar in size to the retrieved foreign body. The cause of death was ascertained as hemorrhagic shock due to bleeding from ruptured neck vessels caused by primary shrapnel projected from the faulty airbag system. Following the incident, the manufacturers replaced faulty airbag systems in similar models. If abnormally fatal injuries are observed, a scene visit along with automotive expert opinion would provide valuable insight into the incident. Such information would alert the general public on regular screening of safety measures and prompt manufacturers to recall faulty products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Side and frontal airbag deployment represents the main injury mechanism to the upper extremity during automotive collisions. Previous dynamic injury limit research has been limited to testing the forearm at either the assumed most vulnerable location to fracture, the distal 1/3rd, or the midpoint. Studies have varied the surface to which impacts were applied, with no clear consensus on the site of greatest vulnerability. The unpredictability of airbag impact location, especially with altered hand positioning, limits the effectiveness of existing forearm injury limits determined from impacts at only one location. The current study quantified the effect of impacts at alternative locations on injury risk along the forearm using the THUMS FE model. Airbag-level impacts were simulated along the forearm on all four anatomical surfaces. Results showed the distal 1/3rd is not the most vulnerable location (for any side), indicating forearm fracture is not solely driven by area moment of inertia (as previously assumed). The posterior forearm was the weakest, suggesting that current test standards underestimate the fracture risk of the forearm. Linear regression models showed strong correlation between forearm fracture risk and bone geometry (cross-sectional area and area moment of inertia) as well as soft-tissue depth, potentially providing the ability to predict forearm injury tolerances for any location or forearm size. This study demonstrated the forearm's vulnerability to fracture from airbag deployments, indicating the need for safety systems to better address injury mechanisms for the upper limb to effectively protect drivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aya Ikeda, Asami Shimokawa, Kazuhiro Harada, Tomoko Tsukahara-Kawamura, Jane Huang, Hiroaki Ozaki, Eiichi Uchio Department of Ophthalmology, Fukuoka University School of Medicine, Fukuoka, JapanCorrespondence: Eiichi Uchio, Department of Ophthalmology, Fukuoka University School of Medicine, 7-45-1 Nanakuma, Jonan-ku, Fukuoka, 814-0180, Japan, Tel +81 92 801 1011, Fax +81 92 865 4445, Email euchio@fukuoka-u.ac.jpBackground: We have previously studied the physiological and mechanical responses of the eye to blunt trauma in various situations using finite element analysis (FEA). In this study, we evaluated the volume kinetics of an airbag impact on the eye using FEA to sequentially determine the volume change rates of intraocular segments at various airbag deployment velocities.Methods: The human eye model we created was used in simulations with the FEA program PAM-GENERISTM (Nihon ESI, Tokyo, Japan). Different airbag deployment velocities, 30, 40, 50, 60 and 70 m/s, were applied in the forward direction. The volume of the deformed eye impacted by the airbag was calculated as the integrated value of all meshes in each segment, and the decrease rate was calculated as the ratio of the decreased volume of each segment at particular timepoints to the value before the airbag impact.Results: The minimum volume of the anterior chamber was 63%, 69% and 50% at 50, 60 and 70 m/s airbag impact velocity, respectively, showing a curve with a sharp decline followed by gradual recovery. In contrast to the anterior chamber, the volume of the lens recovered promptly, reaching 80– 90% at the end of observation, except for the case of 60 m/s. Following the decrease, the volume increased to more than that of baseline at 60 m/s. The rate of volume change of the vitreous was distributed in a narrow range, 99.2– 100.4%.Conclusion: In this study, we found a large, prolonged decrease of volume in the anterior chamber, a similar large decrease followed by prompt recovery of volume in the lens, and a time-lag in the volume decrease between these tissues. These novel findings may provide an important insight into the pathophysiological mechanism of airbag ocular injuries through this further evaluation, employing a refined FEA model representing cuboidal deformation, to develop a more safe airbag system.Keywords: airbag, ocular trauma, computer simulation, lens, anterior chamber, vitreous body, finite element analysis, volume

This study undertakes the analysis of collision scenario using a car model with a dummy and airbags, in the event of a direct collision with a hard wall, one of the necessary studies of passive safety. To describe in detail, the input conditions, a simulation problem of the driver's seat displacements was performed and this displacements data was exported as boundary conditions for the collision simulation. The results simulation crash show that the calculated energy values and simulation results are approximately the same (7.381E+07 and 7.367E+07), energy is converted from kinetic energy into internal energy of the elements. The airbag deployment simulation results are similar to NHTSA's previous research, both in terms of graph shape and maximum value. The impact of the collision incident on the driver is not excessively large, as evidenced by surveys on head (HIC 300), thigh (F 2.8 kN), and neck (F 3.098 kN; T 190 Nm) injuries. However, the study proceeds to further analyze and assess the airbag's structure, examining its influence on these metrics, concluding that changes in the exhaust valve size (increase from 1000 mm2 to 2000 mm2 ) lead to a reduction in the evaluated parameters. These results suggest changes to the airbag structure to enhance driver safety, as well as a simpler simulation model to save analysis time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deploying an airbag when a vehicle occupant is too close to it can cause injury. An adaptive Airbag Control Unit (ACU) would improve the effectiveness of the safety system, provided it is aware of the actual position of the occupants once the crash is going to occur. Occupants can be monitored with vision-based and radar-based sensing in the vehicle, but the research question is whether other reliable devices exist. In this research, a real seat is equipped with four sensors in the supports from the floor, as well as an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) and a microcontroller. The device is capable of identifying correct position or different Out of Position (OP) conditions and inform an adaptive ACU. The paper presents the seat layout in detail and its testing in extensive driving experiments with multiple participants. Depending on the position of the driver, the identification is correct 45–100% of the time. Monitoring the occupant position by a sensorized seat is feasible and can improve the reliability of the onboard safety system when integrated with other occupant monitoring devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Automatic airbag deployment during car accidents undoubtedly plays a vital role in preventing injuries. However, it may occasionally lead to aural damage, including noise-induced hearing loss, tympanic membrane perforation, and tinnitus. Here, we present a case of left curtain airbag deployment immediately following a low-speed car accident, which resulted in the driver experiencing tinnitus. In addition to the case presentation, we have included a brief literature review on potential otologic and non- otologic injuries caused by airbags

PT. Citra Bahari Shipyard is a shipping company that uses Airbag Ship. Identification of hazards in the ship launching process using Job Safety Analysis(JSA) Guide Notes on the American Shipping Bureau (ABS) 2013, The procedures and processes that occur during the analysis and the equipment used are also what obstacles occur as well as solutions to these obstacles so that the launching process at PT. Citra Bahari Shipyard can run optimally. The purpose of hazard control measures in the launching process is to find out the potential hazards that can later cause work accidents and to obtain safe conditions from a launching process. The method that the observer uses is the method of directly observing the state of affairs in the field. Then conduct interviews with several parties related to ship launching and library study methods, namely by reviewing notes and reports that have to do with the launching of the ship with relevant sources. Then data processing is carried out to obtain control of the potential dangers and consequences that have been known so that it is hoped that potential hazards that cause injuries and material losses can be minimized. The result of this observation is that the control that has been carried out does not eliminate the danger completely, but minimizes the consequences of the potential dangers that exist from the ship launching process.

Shuji Suzuki,1 Aya Ikeda,1 Takashi Uemura,1 Kazuhiro Harada,1 Rie Takahashi,1 Jane Huang,1 Tomoko Tsukahara-Kawamura,1 Hiroaki Ozaki,1 Kazuaki Kadonosono,2 Eiichi Uchio1 1Department of Ophthalmology, Fukuoka University School of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan; 2Department of Ophthalmology, Yokohama City University Medical Center, Yokohama, JapanCorrespondence: Eiichi Uchio, Department of Ophthalmology, Fukuoka University School of Medicine, 7-45-1 Nanakuma, Jonan, Fukuoka, 814-0180, Japan, Email euchio@fukuoka-u.ac.jpPurpose: We studied the kinetic phenomenon of an airbag impact on eyes after trabeculectomy using finite element analysis (FEA), a computerized method for predicting how an object reacts to real-world physical effects and showing whether an object will break, to sequentially determine the responses at various airbag deployment velocities.Methods: A human eye model was used in the simulations using the FEA program PAM-GENERISTM (Nihon ESI, Tokyo, Japan). A half-thickness incised scleral flap was created on the limbus and the strength of its adhesion to the outer sclera was set at 30%, 50%, and 100%. The airbag was set to hit the surface of the post-trabeculectomy eye at various velocities in two directions: perpendicular to the corneal center or perpendicular to the scleral flap (30° gaze-down position), at initial velocities of 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 m/s.Results: When the airbag impacted at 20 m/s or 30 m/s, the strain on the cornea and sclera did not reach the mechanical threshold and globe rupture was not observed. Scleral flap lacerations were observed at 40 m/s or more in any eye position, and scleral rupture extending posteriorly from the scleral flap edge and rupture of the scleral flap resulting from extension of the corneal laceration through limbal damage were observed. Even in the case of 100% scleral flap adhesion strength, scleral flap rupture occurred at 50 m/s impact velocity in the 30° gaze-down position, whereas in eyes with 30% or 50% scleral flap adhesion strength, scleral rupture was observed at an impact velocity of 40 m/s or more in both eye positions.Conclusion: An airbag impact of ≥ 40 m/s might induce scleral flap rupture, indicating that current airbags may induce globe rupture in the eyes after trabeculectomy. The considerable damage caused by an airbag on the eyes of short-stature patients with glaucoma who have undergone trabeculectomy might indicate the necessity of ocular protection to avoid permanent eye damage.Keywords: airbag, trabeculectomy, sclera, flap, rupture, finite element analysis

Tomohiro Ueno, Hideaki Fujita, Aya Ikeda, Kazuhiro Harada, Tomoko Tsukahara-Kawamura, Hiroaki Ozaki, Eiichi Uchio Department of Ophthalmology, Fukuoka University School of Medicine, Fukuoka, JapanCorrespondence: Eiichi Uchio, Department of Ophthalmology, Fukuoka University School of Medicine, 7-45-1 Nanakuma, Jonan-ku, Fukuoka, 814-0180, Japan, Tel +81 92 801 1011, Fax +81 92 865 4445, Email euchio@fukuoka-u.ac.jpBackground: We studied the kinetic phenomenon of an airbag impact on eyes with different axial lengths using finite element analysis (FEA) to sequentially determine the physical and mechanical responses of intraocular segments at various airbag deployment velocities.Methods: The human eye model we created was used in simulations with the FEA program PAM-GENERISTM. The airbag was set to impact eyes with axial lengths of 21.85 mm (hyperopia), 23.85 mm (emmetropia) and 25.85 mm (myopia), at initial velocities of 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 m/s. The deformation rate was calculated as the ratio of the length of three segments, anterior chamber, lens and vitreous, to that at the baseline from 0.2 ms to 2.0 ms after the airbag impact.Results: Deformation rate of the anterior chamber was greater than that of other segments, especially in the early phase, 0.2– 0.4 ms after the impact (P < 0.001), and it reached its peak, 80%, at 0.8 ms. A higher deformation rate in the anterior chamber was found in hyperopia compared with other axial length eyes in the first half period, 0.2– 0.8 ms, followed by the rate in emmetropia (P < 0.001). The lens deformation rate was low, its peak ranging from 40% to 75%, and exceeded that of the anterior chamber at 1.4 ms and 1.6 ms after the impact (P < 0.01). The vitreous deformation rate was lower throughout the simulation period than that of the other segments and ranged from a negative value (elongation) in the later phase.Conclusion: Airbag impact on the eyeball causes evident deformation, especially in the anterior chamber. The results obtained in this study, such as the time lag of the peak deformation between the anterior chamber and lens, suggest a clue to the pathophysiological mechanism of airbag ocular injury.Keywords: airbag, ocular trauma, computer simulation, lens, anterior chamber, vitreous body, finite element analysis, deformation

[Objectives] To explore the trend of brands towards the design of waist protection products through data mining, and to provide reference for the design concept of the contour of waist protection pillow. [Methods] The structural design information of all waist protection equipment was collected from the national Internet platform, and the data were classified and a database was established. IBM SPSS 26. 0 and MATLAB 2018a were used to analyze the data and tabulate them in Tableau 2022.4. After the association rules were clarified, the data were imported into Cinema 4D R21 to create the concept contour of waist protection pillow. [Results] The average and standard deviation of the single airbag design were the highest in all groups, with an average of 0.511 and a standard deviation of 0.502. The average and standard deviation of the upper and lower dual airbags were the lowest in all groups, with an average of 0.015 and a standard deviation of 0. 120; the correlation coefficient between single airbag and 120° arc stretching was 0.325, which was positively correlated with each other (P < 0.01); the correlation coefficient between multiple airbags and 360° encircling fitting was 0.501, which was positively correlated with each other and had the highest correlation degree (P <0.01). [Conclusions] The single airbag design is well recognized by companies, and has received the highest attention among all brand products. While focusing on single airbag design, most brands will consider the need to add 120° arc stretching elements in product design. At the time of focusing on multiple airbag design, some brands believe that 360° encircling fitting elements need to be added to the product, and the correlation between the two is the highest among all groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Active wearable devices such as protective smart belts have been proposed to reduce hip impact in the event of a fall. This study primarily evaluated the feasibility and acceptance of a specific protective belt among selected patients identified as being at risk of falling who were admitted to an ICS Maugeri Neurorehabilitation Unit from September 2022 to April 2023. According to previous institutional observations, the device was worn between the 6th and 21st days of recovery. Out of 435 admitted patients, 118 were considered eligible, but 101 declined to participate (about 50% refused to wear the belt without first trying it on; the other 50% found it too heavy or difficult to manage). Among the 17 patients who accepted (users), 9 used the belt correctly. The remaining eight patients refused to wear it after 24 h, due to discomfort. Out of 435 patients admitted, we observed at least one fall in 49 patients, of whom 5 were eligible patients; 1 was a user who had quickly refused to use the belt and fell with mild damage. Two non-eligible patients and one eligible non-user patient experienced falls resulting in hip fractures; only in the latter case could the use of the belt have limited the damage to the hip. Difficulties in recruiting patients and low acceptance of the proposed intervention present further challenges.

Motor vehicle accidents are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Airbags aim to reduce the severity of motor vehicle accidents, but their deployment is not without risks. This study presents five cases presenting with diverse forms of upper extremity injuries following airbag deployment. The presented cases highlight the variety of clinical presentations, the differences in diagnostics in terms of imaging modalities, as well as the spectrum of possible outcomes from complete healing to decreased range of motion to persistent neurological symptoms. Understanding the mechanisms and presentations of such injuries can only help in improving and creating new strategies for the prevention of such injuries, as well as their management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a heuristic model used to evaluate the level of disorder in the synchronization of airbag operation with a moving phantom head during a frontal collision caused by a change in the longitudinal stiffness. The article describes three areas of research. The first presents the results of the strength tests of longitudinal models: reference and welded joint. Based on these, the relative stiffness decrease coefficient (SDC) of the longitudinal was determined. The second presents an analytical model of the airbag activation algorithm and the impact of SDC on its operation. The third determined the contact time of the phantom head with the airbag, taking into account the SDC. Based on the selected case study, a spatiotemporal analysis was conducted, indicating the level of disorder in the synchronization of the airbag with the moving phantom head due to the change in longitudinal stiffness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collision analysis utilizing electronic data recorders, videos, traffic signal timing data, and other electronic records adds valuable input but can be a challenge to tie together due to the lack of a finite time stamp or common recording rate. However, overlapping data streams that have a common point-in-time identifier can be resolved. A strategic approach was developed by the author for unifying and validating the vehicle positions and time-distance reconstruction. The method outlines the steps for establishing known data points, forming a common time line, identifying overlapping information, and linking together independent records. A case study demonstrates a crash at a traffic signal-controlled intersection in which each vehicle entered on their respective green lights without conflict; however, the collision still occurred. The crash reconstruction will highlight driver options and demonstrate the value of combining multiple data streams into one time line. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Protective equipment, including seatbelts and airbags, have dramatically reduced the morbidity and mortality rates associated with motor vehicle collisions (MVCs). While generally associated with a reduced rate of injury, the effect of motor vehicle protective equipment on patterns of chest wall trauma is unknown. We hypothesized that protective equipment would affect the rate of flail chest after an MVC. Materials and Methods: This study was a retrospective analysis of the 2019 iteration of the American College of Surgeons Trauma Quality Program (ACS-TQIP) database. Rib fracture types were categorized as non-flail chest rib fractures and flail chest using ICD-10 diagnosis coding. The primary outcome was the occurrence of flail chests after motor vehicle collisions. The protective equipment evaluated were seatbelts and airbags. We performed bivariate and multivariate logistic regression to determine the association of flail chest with the utilization of vehicle protective equipment. Results: We identified 25,101 patients with rib fractures after motor vehicle collisions. In bivariate analysis, the severity of the rib fractures was associated with seatbelt type, airbag status, smoking history, and history of cerebrovascular accident (CVA). In multivariate analysis, seatbelt use and airbag deployment (OR 0.76 CI 0.65–0.89) were independently associated with a decreased rate of flail chest. In an interaction analysis, flail chest was only reduced when a lap belt was used in combination with the deployed airbag (OR 0.59 CI 0.43–0.80) when a shoulder belt was used without airbag deployment (0.69 CI 0.49–0.97), or when a shoulder belt was used with airbag deployment (0.57 CI 0.46–0.70). Conclusions: Although motor vehicle protective equipment is associated with a decreased rate of flail chest after a motor vehicle collision, the benefit is only observed when lap belts and airbags are used simultaneously or when a shoulder belt is used. These data highlight the importance of occupant seatbelt compliance and suggest the effect of motor vehicle restraint systems in reducing severe chest wall injuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analyzed and compared the effectiveness of the rotating seat of autonomous vehicles and that of an airbag in traditional vehicles as head protection measures in a frontal crash. Driver frontal crash models of traditional and autonomous vehicles and a head finite element model were established. Four evaluation indexes were used for comparison. The airbag proved more effective than seat rotation in terms of injury criteria and brain tissue injury risk under frontal crash conditions with and without brake involvement. A segmented protection measure based on crash acceleration values is proposed to improve crash safety in future autonomous vehicles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deploying an airbag when a vehicle occupant is too close to it can cause injury. An adaptive Airbag Control Unit (ACU) would improve the effectiveness of the safety system, provided it is aware of the actual position of the occupants once the crash is going to occur. Occupants can be monitored with vision-based and radar-based sensing in the vehicle, but the research question is whether other reliable devices exist. In this research, a real seat is equipped with four sensors in the supports from the floor, as well as an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) and a microcontroller. The device is capable of identifying correct position or different Out of Position (OP) conditions and inform an adaptive ACU. The paper presents the seat layout in detail and its testing in extensive driving experiments with multiple participants. Depending on the position of the driver, the identification is correct 45–100% of the time. Monitoring the occupant position by a sensorized seat is feasible and can improve the reliability of the onboard safety system when integrated with other occupant monitoring devices.

The aim of this paper is to evaluate the feasibility of implementation of a passive safety feature in the form of an under-fuselage airbag in the rescue systems of small aircraft. The paper presents a multidisciplinary approach for the viability of the implementation. It presents the development of mathematical model for airbag performance analysis. The model is validated against the experimental data to account for various simplifications. Validated mathematical model is used to design a full-scale airbag for the chosen airplane to perform in the designed range. Weight penalty for increased safety is determined.

The aim of this paper is to evaluate the feasibility of implementation of a passive safety feature in the form of an under-fuselage airbag in the rescue systems of small aircraft. The paper presents a multidisciplinary approach for the viability of the implementation. It presents the development of mathematical model for airbag performance analysis. The model is validated against the experimental data to account for various simplifications. Validated mathematical model is used to design a full-scale airbag for the chosen airplane to perform in the designed range. Weight penalty for increased safety is determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Airbags have substantially reduced mortality and morbidity, while ocular injuries caused by airbags have been reported. We applied a three-dimensional finite element analysis (FEA) model we have established for evaluation of the deformation of an intact eyeball of various axial lengths induced by an airbag impact at various impact velocities. Methods: A model human eye we have created was used in simulations with an FEA program, PAM-GENERIS™ (Nihon ESI, Tokyo, Japan). The airbag was set to impact eyes with various axial lengths of 21.85 mm (hyperopia), 23.85 mm (emmetropia) and 25.85 mm (myopia), at initial velocities of 30, 40, 50 and 60 m/s. Changes in the shape of the eye and the strain induced were calculated. Deformation of the eye in a cross-sectional view was displayed sequentially in slow motion. Results: We found that considerable damage, such as corneal or scleral lacerations, was observed especially at higher impact velocities, such as 50 or 60 m/s, in eyes with any axial length. Deformation was most evident in the anterior segment. The decrease rate of axial length was greatest in the hyperopic eye, followed by the myopic eye, and the emmetropic eye. Conclusions: It was shown that hyperopic eyes are most susceptible to deformation by an airbag impact in this simulation. The considerable deformation by an airbag impact on the eye during a traffic accident shown in this study might indicate the necessity of ocular protection to avoid permanent eye damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unfixed flame propagation velocity of a gas explosion and the fixed response time of explosion suppression devices are the important reasons for the poor protective effect of active explosion suppression. A flexible explosion suppression method based on buffer energy absorption is detailed in this study. The explosion suppression system consists of an explosive characteristic monitoring system, an explosion suppression agent system, and an explosion suppression airbag. An empty pipe experiment and an explosion suppression experiment with a flexible-airbag gas-explosion suppression device were conducted in a 20.5 m-long pipe with an inner diameter of 180 mm. The flame propagation velocity and maximum overpressure values were compared between the two groups of experiments. The experimental results show that the flame wave propagation can be completely suppressed by the explosion suppression device under certain pressure. The occurrence time of maximum overpressure at each pressure measuring point is also analyzed. P3 is generally later than P4, which verifies the existence of energy absorption and explosion suppression effect of airbag. Finally, the energy absorption effect of the airbag is analyzed theoretically. The shock wave overpressure calculated in the sealing limit state of the airbag is 0.3432 MPa, and the maximum error is 7.8%, which provides reliable guidance and prediction for the experimental process in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optimization of the engineering system is becoming more and more significant as time progresses, and a large number of metamodel-based multi-objective optimization methods have been proposed during the past decades. For a metamodel-based multi-objective optimization method, the accuracy of the solution is greatly influenced by the prediction accuracy of the metamodels. This study developed a novel metamodel-based multi-objective optimization method using an adaptive multi-regional ensemble of metamodels (AMEM) to get an optimization method with higher accuracy and efficiency. Two strategies were employed in this new metamodel-based multi-objective optimization method. One strategy is that several stand-alone metamodels, i.e., polynomial regression (PR), radial basis function (RBF), and Kriging (KRG) were combined into an ensemble of metamodels (EM) using the weight sum approach. The other strategy is that new design points were dynamically added into various local regions where the Pareto optimal designs are located, and each basis model and its weight factors were regenerated simultaneously, which adaptively improved the accuracy of the constructed adaptive multi-regional ensemble of metamodels. Besides, two novel approaches for selecting new design points from Pareto optimal set were proposed in this study. The performance of this novel metamodel-based multi-objective optimization method was evaluated using twelve mathematical functions and two practical engineering optimization problems. The twelve mathematical functions were typically selected from previous studies, and the two practical engineering optimization problems are crashworthiness optimization of triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS)-filled tube (one design variable) and buffer performance optimization of airbags used in the re-entry capsule (two design variables). To compare the advantages of this method, the optimization of these problems was also implemented by common metamodel-based methods. The results showed that the adaptive multi-regional ensemble of metamodels-based multi-objective optimization method is more accurate than the common methods in both mathematical functions and engineering optimization problems. In addition, the adaptive multi-regional ensemble of metamodels-based multi-objective optimization method has better efficiency than the common method, especially in practical engineering optimization problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The ballistic performances of different UHMWPE/Airbag structures are analyzed. • A material model for TPU is established and used for simulation, considering the strain rate effect. • The effects of stress dispersion and deformation restraint on ballistic performance are discussed. • Enhancing ballistic protection through the interaction of two materials is highlighted. A series of flexible structures incorporating an airbag and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber panels were designed as temporary architectures to offer both ballistic protective functions and lightweight constructions. Three primary structural configurations, monolithic structures (airbag or UHMWPE panel alone), bi-layer structures (airbag/ UHMWPE panel and UHMWPE panel/airbag), and sandwich structures (UHMWPE panel/airbag/ UHMWPE panel) were tested. A T12A carbon tool steel sphere with the diameter of 12.7 mm was utilized as the ballistic threat within an impact velocity range of 0–500 m/s. Investigations into the effect of stacking order on ballistic performance were carried out experimentally and numerically. The failure characteristics, ballistic limits, energy dissipations, impact processes and interaction effects of these structures are discussed. To facilitate the establishment of numerical models for impact analysis using ABAQUS, a material constitutive model of thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU) including strain rate effect was developed. The numerical models of the monolithic single-sheet UHMWPE panel and airbag for impact analysis were subsequently verified by experiments in terms of impact processes and ballistic limits. The results reveal that arranging a few layers of UHMWPE panels in front of the airbag can improve the collapse ballistic limit while maintaining the failure ballistic limit. The inclusion of an airbag reduces the energy dissipation efficiency of composite structures. The potential to enhance ballistic protection through the combination of airbags and UHMWPE panels is highlighted. Stress dispersion and deformation restraint are identified as significant factors influencing the ballistic performance of the composite structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Protective equipment, including seatbelts and airbags, have dramatically reduced the morbidity and mortality rates associated with motor vehicle collisions (MVCs). While generally associated with a reduced rate of injury, the effect of motor vehicle protective equipment on patterns of chest wall trauma is unknown. We hypothesized that protective equipment would affect the rate of flail chest after an MVC. Materials and Methods: This study was a retrospective analysis of the 2019 iteration of the American College of Surgeons Trauma Quality Program (ACS-TQIP) database. Rib fracture types were categorized as non-flail chest rib fractures and flail chest using ICD-10 diagnosis coding. The primary outcome was the occurrence of flail chests after motor vehicle collisions. The protective equipment evaluated were seatbelts and airbags. We performed bivariate and multivariate logistic regression to determine the association of flail chest with the utilization of vehicle protective equipment. Results: We identified 25,101 patients with rib fractures after motor vehicle collisions. In bivariate analysis, the severity of the rib fractures was associated with seatbelt type, airbag status, smoking history, and history of cerebrovascular accident (CVA). In multivariate analysis, seatbelt use and airbag deployment (OR 0.76 CI 0.65–0.89) were independently associated with a decreased rate of flail chest. In an interaction analysis, flail chest was only reduced when a lap belt was used in combination with the deployed airbag (OR 0.59 CI 0.43–0.80) when a shoulder belt was used without airbag deployment (0.69 CI 0.49–0.97), or when a shoulder belt was used with airbag deployment (0.57 CI 0.46–0.70). Conclusions: Although motor vehicle protective equipment is associated with a decreased rate of flail chest after a motor vehicle collision, the benefit is only observed when lap belts and airbags are used simultaneously or when a shoulder belt is used. These data highlight the importance of occupant seatbelt compliance and suggest the effect of motor vehicle restraint systems in reducing severe chest wall injuries.

The cylindrical airbag is widely used in the landing buffer field with a simple structure. It is a three-dimensional closed structure, so the folding model is difficult to establish. Because the modeling process of the existing methods is complex and these methods are difficult to use in the actual folding process, a new direct folding method was proposed in this paper. In the method, the two end faces of the cylindrical airbag are recessed inward, and the cylindrical surface is flattened into a sheetlike structure; then, its finite-element model is established. The folded cylindrical airbag was inflated, and the deployed shape was the same as that of the initial unfolded model after inflation. Moreover, the maximum errors of the equivalent cross-sectional diameter, maximum length, and volume of the inflated airbag were less than 4%, which shows that the method is reasonable and feasible. Based on this method, three finite-element models of cylindrical airbags in different folding states were established, and then the effects of folding mode, inflation rate, and ambient pressure on the deployment process of the folding airbag were studied. In the landing buffer analysis, this method was used to model the folded secondary airbag when establishing the finite-element model for the cushioning dynamic of the combined airbag. The simulation results are in good agreement with the drop test results, which also verifies the effectiveness of this folding method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Previous research on occupant protection systems for wheelchair-seated occupants focused on frontal impacts, while similar studies on side impacts are very limited. The objective of this study was to identify the major injury concerns for wheelchair-seated occupants in side impacts and develop restraint systems to mitigate such injury concerns. Methods: Seven sled tests in side impact conditions were first conducted at 30 km/h with a 24 g peak deceleration. An ES2-RE ATD and surrogate wheelchair base (SWCB) were used in all tests, which varied armrest design, width of the SWCB, and wheelchair tiedown conditions. These sled tests set up the baseline performance and provided validation data for computational models. A set of validated MADYMO models were then used to investigate the safety concerns and potential restraint solutions for wheelchair-seated occupants in side impacts. Simulations covered nearside and farside impacts, inboard or outboard D-ring locations, varied wheelchair locations relative to the side door, varied seatbelt anchorage locations, and a few Center Airbag To Contain Humans (CATCH) designs. Finally, another set of sled tests were conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of varied CATCH designs for protecting wheelchair-seated occupants in farside impacts. Results: Simulations suggested that wheelchair-seated occupants might fall from the wheelchair in farside impacts, while in nearside impacts the seatbelt and curtain airbag can provide reasonable protection to occupants using wheelchairs. The CATCH design, a curtain airbag mounted to the roof centerline with tethers attached outboard of the wheelchair station, was effective at preventing the ATD from falling off the wheelchair. Results from sled tests to iterate CATCH parameters confirmed that the concept was effective at retaining occupants seated in wheelchairs under farside impact loading. Conclusions: This study is the first to investigate wheelchair-seated occupant protection in both nearside and farside impacts. The injury concerns identified in farside impacts and the CATCH design can potentially help improve the protection of wheelchair-seated occupants in side impacts in the future. The CATCH design has potential to improve farside protection for occupants in traditional seating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a case where the issue was to determine who was the driver and who was the passenger at the time of a fatal car accident involving two persons, one of whom died in the accident. The presence of the two persons in the car was not contested, only the mechanisms that led to the deposition of the DNA (i.e., the activities) were. To our knowledge, few cases are evaluated considering the alleged activities. The reasons for this include the lack of knowledge, and data, as well as the difficulties encountered for the formulation of conclusions. In this case report, we present the architecture of the Bayesian Network (BN) used to evaluate the DNA results of the traces recovered from the steering wheel, driver's and passenger's airbags. The following propositions were considered: "The person of interest (POI) was driving the car and the alternative person (AP) was the passenger at the time of the accident" or vice versa. We discuss the assumptions that were made and how data from the literature was used to parametrize into the BN. A likelihood ratio of the order of 90 was finally assigned. The statement proposed to the mandating authority indicated that, given the information that was made available to us, our observations were of the order of 90 times more probable if the POI was driving the car at the time of the accident rather than if the AP was. A sensitivity analysis was performed (5000 simulations): this shows that our likelihood ratio is robust., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest No conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Coating products are widely used for the interior decoration of residential property. However, there is growing concern regarding their odor emissions and their impact on indoor air quality (IAQ). Most manufacturers and government agencies set odor intensity limits to control the odor of coating products, including their raw materials. However, it is difficult to determine product performance by means of their odor intensity index. Although evaluating odor intensity requires odor assessors to distinguish between different intensity levels, low consensus and reproducibility represent challenges that are difficult to avoid. As the odor concentration index only requires odor assessors to ascertain whether the odor is felt or not, the reproducibility of the evaluation results is relatively better. Moreover, suitable methodologies for determining odor concentrations in volatile coating product emissions have rarely been reported. Therefore, establishing an evaluation method for odor concentration of coating products and exploring its key influencing factors should bridge this gap. We examined the influence of the airbag material on the recovery rate of typical volatile organic compounds (VOCs) using direct injection by GC-MS and established that their adsorption effects were in the order: PET > PVF > PTFE. We then explored the influences of the sample curing and odor emission times on odor concentration. The solvent-based and water-based coatings reached equilibrium after 8 h and 16 h curing, respectively, and after 8 h and 12 h odor emission, respectively. The odor concentrations of real coating samples were measured and compared against their odor intensities. The odor concentration method more accurately and reliably discriminated coating products than the odor intensity approach. Thus, to assist manufacturers in improving coating formulations to reduce the odor impact of coating products, we used headspace gas chromatography to determine the odor substances in water- and solvent-based coatings and analyzed the odor contribution of various volatile compounds using the odor activity value (OAV) method. Butyl acetate, ethylbenzene, and 1-methoxy-2-propyl acetate were the key odorants in solvent-based coatings while 1-butanol, ethylbenzene, and butyl acetate were the key odorants in water-based coatings.

The unfixed flame propagation velocity of a gas explosion and the fixed response time of explosion suppression devices are the important reasons for the poor protective effect of active explosion suppression. A flexible explosion suppression method based on buffer energy absorption is detailed in this study. The explosion suppression system consists of an explosive characteristic monitoring system, an explosion suppression agent system, and an explosion suppression airbag. An empty pipe experiment and an explosion suppression experiment with a flexible-airbag gas-explosion suppression device were conducted in a 20.5 m-long pipe with an inner diameter of 180 mm. The flame propagation velocity and maximum overpressure values were compared between the two groups of experiments. The experimental results show that the flame wave propagation can be completely suppressed by the explosion suppression device under certain pressure. The occurrence time of maximum overpressure at each pressure measuring point is also analyzed. P3 is generally later than P4, which verifies the existence of energy absorption and explosion suppression effect of airbag. Finally, the energy absorption effect of the airbag is analyzed theoretically. The shock wave overpressure calculated in the sealing limit state of the airbag is 0.3432 MPa, and the maximum error is 7.8%, which provides reliable guidance and prediction for the experimental process in the future.

In a ship planning can not be separated from the planning of the ship launching process. A ship can glide perfectly if it has a high enough planning time and costs. The launch process itself is divided into several ways. The choice of this method needs to be considered because it relates to the budget and preparations made. The method used is the calculation according to the numerical approach assisted by computational software. In the first calculation it is planned with the slipway launch, and then the next one is planned with the airbags that have been implemented previously. The purpose of this study is to provide analysis results as a consideration in implementing the slipway and airbag ship launching method on KM ships. Belt Nusantara 72 measuring 2000 DWT. In steps 5 to 6, both the slipway and the airbags experience a stern lift condition with a value (yVd) of 1396.97 ton. Based on the economic analysis of the hours of people using airbags, there is a decrease in working hours by 44% when compared to the launch using a slipway. This also happened to work productivity where it was 84% more time effective. When viewed from an investment point of view, the use of slipways is actually more economical than airbag, the difference is 43% more economical using slipways. Both types of launch can be applied by looking at the economical side and the ability of each shipyard in carrying out the launching process and seeing the main size of the ship to be launched.

High-speed motor vehicle accidents (MVAs) are an important cause of brachial plexus injury (BPI). Some case reports have demonstrated shoulder seat belt use resulting in traction injuries to the brachial plexus. We used a national trauma registry to determine the association between seat belt use and brachial plexus injury in MVAs. The authors queried the National Trauma Databank between 2016 and 2017 for patients with a hospital admission following an MVA. Cases with BPI were identified using International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Edition, Clinical Modification , diagnosis codes. Case–control matching by age and sex was performed to identify 2 non-BPI controls for every case of BPI. Multivariable conditional logistic regression adjusting for body mass index, alcohol use, and drug use was then performed to determine the adjusted association between safety equipment use (seat belt use and airbag deployment) and BPI. A total of 526,007 cases of MVAs were identified, of which 704 (0.13%) sustained a BPI. The incidences of BPI in patients were the following without any protective device (0.16%), with airbag deployment alone (0.08%), with seat belt use alone (0.08%), and with combined airbag deployment and seat belt use (0.07%). Following 1:2 case–control matching by age and sex and multivariable conditional logistic regression, seat belt use (odds ratio [OR] 0.55; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.42–0.71; P < 0.001) and airbag deployment (OR 0.52; 95% CI 0.33–0.82; P = 0.004) were found to be associated with decreased odds for BPI, with the least odds observed with combined seat belt use and airbag deployment (OR 0.49; 95% CI 0.33–0.74; P = 0.001). Despite anecdotal evidence suggesting increased likelihood of BPI with shoulder seat belt use, case–control analysis from a national trauma registry demonstrated that both seat belt use and airbag deployment are associated with lower odds of sustaining BPIs in MVAs, with the greatest protective effect observed with combined use. Future studies adjusting for rider location (passenger vs. driver) and other potential confounders such as make, type and speed of vehicle may help further characterize this association. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Few large studies have investigated the factors and outcomes related to concomitant injuries occurring alongside mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) after motor vehicle collisions (MVCs). Thus, the objective of this study was to assess whether MVC characteristics predict which patients with mTBI will have concomitant whiplash injury, and whether concomitant whiplash injury affects care utilization for these patients., Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 22,213 patients with mTBI after MVC identified from the American College of Surgeons Trauma Quality Programs dataset. A hierarchical logistic regression model was constructed to investigate patient and MVC factors associated with concomitant whiplash injury. Propensity score matching on whiplash status, in conjunction with a multivariable logistic regression model, assessed if concomitant whiplash affected odds of hospitalization. In the subgroup of patients who were hospitalized, associations with hospital length of stay (LOS) and discharge disposition were investigated., Results: The median (IQR) age was 34 (24-51) years, with a median Glasgow Coma Scale score at presentation of 15 (15-15). Patients with concomitant whiplash were older (median 36 years vs 34 years, p = 0.03) and had higher rates of hospitalization (75% vs 64%, p < 0.001). In the hierarchical model for associations with concomitant whiplash injury, patients with blood alcohol content (BAC) greater than the federal driving limit had lower odds of concomitant whiplash (OR 0.63, 95% CI 0.49-0.81) along with those who had airbag deployment (OR 0.80, 95% CI 0.68-0.95), but seatbelt use was associated with greater odds (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.16-1.71). After matching, concomitant whiplash was independently associated with increased odds of hospitalization (OR 1.67, 95% CI 1.40-1.99) while seatbelt use was associated with decreased odds (OR 0.88, 95% CI 0.81-0.95). Among hospitalized patients, concomitant whiplash was not associated with hospital LOS or discharge disposition., Conclusions: MVC characteristics such as alcohol consumption and airbag deployment were protective toward development of concomitant whiplash for mTBI patients, while seatbelt use was associated with higher risk. Concomitant whiplash increases the odds of hospitalization for mTBI patients but does not affect hospital LOS or discharge disposition, while seatbelt use is associated with lower rates of hospitalization and a more favorable hospital course. These findings provide context to injury patterns and care provision after a common mechanism of injury.

In this study, a novel expandable bicycle helmet, which integrates an airbag system into the conventional helmet design, was proposed to explore the potential synergetic effect of an expandable airbag and a standard commuter-type EPS helmet. The traumatic brain injury mitigation performance of the proposed expandable helmet was evaluated against that of a typical traditional bicycle helmet. A series of dynamic impact simulations on both a helmeted headform and a representative human head with different configurations were carried out in accordance with the widely recognised international bicycle helmet test standards. The impact simulations were initially performed on a ballast headform for validation and benchmarking purposes, while the subsequent ones on a biofidelic human head model were used for assessing any potential intracranial injury. It was found that the proposed expandable helmet performed admirably better when compared to a conventional helmet design--showing improvements in impact energy attenuation, as well as kinematic and biometric injury risk reduction. More importantly, this expandable helmet concept, integrating the airbag system in the conventional design, offers adequate protection to the cyclist in the unlikely case of airbag deployment failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To report a rare incidence of corneal endothelial cell loss following airbag injury. Observation: A 27-year-old female who sustained a motor vehicle accident with airbag deployment presented with hand motion vision in the left eye. Ocular examination demonstrated corneal abrasion, significant corneal stromal edema with descemet folds, and a central pachymetry of 999 µm. The patient was managed with topical steroids and antibiotic drops. One week later, specular microscopy revealed a central endothelial cell count of 2200/mm2 with pleomorphism, polymegathism, and a decreased central corneal thickness of 569 µm. A repeat of specular microscopy 6 months later showed a decreased central endothelial cell count of 1611/mm2 with recovered visual acuity of 20/30. Conclusion: Corneal endothelial loss is a severe complication of ocular airbag injury. Serial ophthalmic assessment is recommended because endothelial cell loss may continue for some time after the initial impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A method to evaluate the effectiveness of wearable airbag protectors for motorcyclists is proposed in this work. The mitigation of thoracic injury severity in relevant accident conditions was investigated by a multimodel numerical approach. A set of impact conditions, obtained from previous work using multibody models, was used as input data to support the detailed analysis of injury risk with finite element models. The HUMOS II human model and an airbag model were validated from experimental data and coupled to evaluate the performance of the protector. Multiple frontal thoracic impact conditions were simulated on the human model by testing the airbag protector and reference simulations without any protection. A reduction on the skeletal AIS score of 1 was obtained, while the probability of sustaining severe soft tissue injuries was reduced by up to 22% with the safety device. Impact velocity and impactor shape were identified as relevant injury risk factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Collision between the driver of non-motor vehicle and car door often happens when the car driver or the passenger in the parking car opens the door suddenly ignoring a non-motor vehicle passing by. The collision protection system is proposed by installing an airbag in the car door. When the collision accident between the driver of non-motor vehicle and the car is unavoidable, the airbag will automatically deploy to provide head protection for the driver of non-motor vehicle. Utilizing HyperWorks and LS-DYNA, the finite element model of the collision is established to simulate the situations of installing airbag or not with the door on different opening angles (60°, 70°) and to verify the feasibility of the proposed method.

To reduce the size inconvenience of airbag systems employed in human-body protection devices while maintaining comparable gas generation performance, a new family of gas-generating energetic composites are proposed mixing Al/CuO nanothermite with copper complex (Cu(NH 3) 4 (NO 3) 2) known for its propensity to generate gases (0.03 mol/g) such as N 2 , O 2 , N 2 O through exothermic chemical decomposition (300 J/g). The aluminum (Al)/Copper oxide (CuO) couple, known as the most widely studied nanomaterial for thermite reactions, releasing a high energy, mostly heat, through chemical reaction, is employed as a source of heat to trigger and sustain the decomposition of Cu(NH 3) 4 (NO 3) 2 complex. This work permits developing a new family of gas-generating energetic composites that takes advantage of specific chemical and thermal properties of both materials. We demonstrate its capability to tune the pressurization rate, burn rate and pressure peak by varying the Al/CuO over Cu(NH 3)(NO 2) 2 mass ratio. The peak pressure of Cu(NH 3) 4 (NO 3) 2 /Al/CuO energetic composites reaches 12 MPa/g.cm3 in a close volume, which is 3.3 higher than that of traditional Al/CuO nanothermite. They achieve much longer high-pressure duration (∼30 ms). They also exhibit very intense burning with velocity reaching hundreds of m/s in opening burning experiments. These new materials appear very promising for green gas generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The primary purpose of an avalanche airbag is to prevent burial during an avalanche. Approximately twenty percent of avalanche victims deploying airbags become critically buried, however. One avalanche airbag actively deflates three minutes after deployment, potentially creating an air pocket. Our objective was to evaluate this air pocket and its potential to prevent asphyxiation.Methods: Twelve participants were fitted with an airbag and placed prone on the snow. Participants deployed the airbag and were buried in 1.5 m of snow for 60 min with vital signs including oxygen saturation (SpO2) and end-tidal CO2 (ETCO2) measured every minute. Participants completed a post-burial survey to determine head movement within the air pocket.Results: Eleven of the 12 participants (92%) completed 60 min of burial. Preburial baseline SpO2 measurements did not change significantly over burial time (P > 0.05). Preburial baseline ETCO2 measurements increased over the burial time (P < 0.02); only one ETCO2 value was outside of the normal ETCO2 range (35-45 mmHg). Participants reported they could move their head forward 11.2 cm (SD 4.8 cm) and backward 6.6 cm (SD 5.1 cm) with the majority of participants stated that they had enough head movement to separate the oral cavity from opposing snow if necessary. Visual examination during extrication revealed a well-defined air pocket in all burials.Conclusion: The avalanche airbag under study creates an air pocket that appears to delay asphyxia, which could allow extra time for rescue and improve overall survival of avalanche victims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Field data have shown significant benefit from driver airbag for occupant protection in frontal crashes. However, vehicle modifiers almost always permanently deactivate airbags for wheelchair-seated drivers. The objective of this study was to conduct sled tests and computational simulations to answer whether driver airbags should be deactivated for drivers seated in wheelchairs.Methods: Five sled tests were conducted under a 48-kph 20-g frontal crash pulse all with driver airbag. Seat-belt fit (good, poor, and unbelted), airbag deployment time (proper and late), and occupant size (midsize male and small female HIII ATDs) were varied in the tests. The 2006 Chrysler Town-and-Country minivan was selected as the nominal vehicle environment, and a surrogate wheelchair with a docking securement system was used for all sled tests. ATD injury measures for the head, neck, chest, and lower extremities were recorded in each test, and were used for validating a set of MADYMO models. Parametric studies with a total of 28 MADYMO simulations were then conducted to investigate the airbag effects on occupant injury risks with varied occupant size, belt fit, and impact angle (0, 15, and 30 deg).Results: The sled tests showed potential safety concerns for wheelchair-seated drivers with a poor belt fit or without a belt. Specifically, the unbelted midsize male ATD sustained high femur forces and the small female ATD with poor belt fit sustained high chest deflections. The parametric simulations showed that airbag generally improved the protection for wheelchair-seated drivers. It is especially useful for unbelted wheelchair-seated drivers, and is also helpful for reducing the head and neck injury risks regardless of the belt condition, occupant size, and impact angle.Conclusions: This is the first study using sled tests and computational simulations to investigate the effects of airbag deployment on injury risks of wheelchair-seated drivers. Overall, the results showed little basis for concern that the energy of deploying a driver airbag in today's vehicles will cause serious-to-fatal injuries to drivers seated in wheelchairs. The results of this study therefore support the idea that driver airbags generally offer tangible safety benefits for a wide range of wheelchair-seated drivers in frontal crashes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The traffic accident occurrence rate is increasing relative to the increase in the number of people using personal mobility device (PM). This paper proposes an airbag system with a more efficient algorithm to decide the deployment of a wearable bike airbag in case of an accident. The existing wearable airbags are operated by judging the accident situations using the thresholds of sensors. However, in this case, the judgment accuracy can drop against various motions. This study used the long short-term memory (LSTM) model using the sensor values of the inertial measurement unit (IMU) as input values to judge accident occurrences, which obtains data in real time from the three acceleration-axis and three angular velocity-axis sensors on the driver motion states and judges whether or not an accident has occurred using the obtained data. The existing neural network (NN) or convolutional neural network (CNN) model judges only the input data. This study confirmed that this model has a higher judgment accuracy than the existing NN or CNN by giving strong points even in “past information” through LSTM by regarding the driver motion as time-series data.

Astronauts need the lander for decelerate and bridle the speed when they land on the space surface slowly. This lander could be controlled velocity magnitude in any direction or orientation and provide protection. The landers consist of airbags and parachutes. The airbag is a type of vehicle safety device, have a soft cushioning and is an occupant restraint system. The parachute provides to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by the hauling. Space protection equipments must have some properties because of astronaut’s entry, descend and landing in safely. Textiles in airbags provide these properties especially which are light weight, low gas permeability, high strength, low cost, low temperature flexibility and low coefficient of friction. For textiles in parachutes must have properties such as smooth, porosity, air permeability, high strength, cost-effective, stability light weight and good in drag and lift. Airbags and parachutes in space protection equipment’s are improved in systems provide easy stability. Recently, inflatable technologies for space protection equipments plays a fundamental role in building re-entry capsule. It can be performed a variety of pre-flight analyses to ensure the success of the tests of protection systems from day to day. In this review, space protection systems, their textile materials and properties, their advantages and disadvantages are presented.

Although various soft pneumatic actuators have been studied, their performance, including load capacity, has not been satisfied yet. Enhancing their actuation capability and using them to develop soft robots with high performance is still an open and challenging issue. In this study, we developed novel pneumatic actuators based on fiber-reinforced airbags as a solution to this problem, of which the maximum pressure reaches more than 100 kPa. Through cellular rearrangement, the developed actuators could bend uni- or bidirectionally, achieving large driving force, large deformation, and high conformability. Hence, they could be used to develop soft manipulators with relatively large payload (up to 10 kg, about 50 times the body self-weight) and soft climbing robots with high mobility. In this article, we first present the design of the airbag-based actuators and then model the airbag to obtain the relationship between the pneumatic pressure, external force, and deformation. Subsequently, we validate the models by comparing the simulated and measured results and test the load capacity of the bending actuators. Afterward, we present the development of a soft pneumatic robot that can rapidly climb horizontal, inclined, and vertical poles with different cross-sectional shapes and even outdoor natural objects, like bamboos, at a speed of 12.6 mm/s generally. In particular, it can dexterously transition between poles at any angle, which, to the best of our knowledge, has not been achieved before.

With the rapid development of car crash sensing and identification technology, the application of pre-triggering airbag system is becoming an important option to improve vehicle safety. Thus, the present study aims to investigate the injury protection ability of pre-triggering airbag system and optimize its performance in frontal crashes regarding the key physical parameters. A driver restraint system model established and validated by National Crash Analysis Center was employed and validated for studying the injury protection ability of pre-triggering airbag system. Then, the influences of airbag triggering time, airbag volume scaling factor, inflator mass flow, and exhaust orifice size of pre-triggering airbag system on driver's head and chest injuries were analyzed. Finally, the weighted injury criterion was selected as the evaluation index to optimize the pre-triggering airbag system. The results show the pre-triggering airbag should be designed with a larger airbag volume and inflator mass flow rate and smaller exhaust orifice. The optimized restraint system design presents a reduction of weighted injury criterion values in 100% and 40% overlapped frontal impacts reaching 25.63% and 42.23%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Many studies have investigated the issue of facial injuries caused by car accidents, but only a few have addressed the technical and clinical aspects of such accidents and injuries in depth. The aim of this study was to identify risk factors and protective elements for facial injuries in car accidents.Methods: We analysed the technical and clinical data of patients with facial injuries caused by car accidents over a 16-year period (2000-2016) and investigated the following factors: sitting position, sex, age, accident time, use of a seatbelt, deployment of the front airbag, direction of impact, speed at the time of collision, and occurrence and location of facial injuries.Results: Of the 1291 patients involved in car accidents who were included in our study, 291 (22.5%) had suffered facial injuries. We found a significant association between occurrence of facial injuries and sex, speed at the time of collision, impact from the back, seatbelt usage, and deployment of the front airbag. In accidents occurring at speeds over 40 km/h, automobile security measures had no significant influence on the occurrence of facial injuries in drivers and front-seat passengers. In accidents occurring at speeds between 0 and 20 km/h, seatbelt usage (without airbag deployment) solely showed a significant protective influence against the occurrence of facial injuries (odd ratio [OR], 0.130; confidence interval [CI], 0.038-0.451). In contrast, patients who were in accidents at speeds between 21 and 40 km/h suffered significantly fewer facial injuries when wearing a seatbelt with the front airbag being deployed (OR, 0.245; CI, 0.091-0.665) or undeployed (OR, 0.216; CI, 0.084-0.561).Conclusion: Male sex and a high speed at the time of collision are significant risk factors for the occurrence of facial injuries. The security measurements evaluated in this study only exerted a protective influence at low speeds (below 40 km/h). This indicates a possible weakness of these security systems with regard to preventing facial injuries. Engineers could benefit from these findings and improve the efficiency of existing security measures and eventually help decrease the incidence of facial injuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]