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Vulnerable Occupants
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Many motor vehicle occupants are at increased risk of injury due to physical differences that affect their interaction with the vehicle interior and restraints as well as their response and tolerance to crash loading. Older occupants may sustain more severe injuries due to weaker bones and calcified tissues. Occupant shape, which is associated with body mass index, can lead to suboptimal restraint fit. Vulnerable occupant research seek to identify the unique challenges of protecting all motor vehicle occupants. |
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Brain Injury Research
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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an important public health problem in the United States. TBI is frequently referred to as a "silent epidemic" because the complications from TBI, such as changes affecting thinking, sensation, language, or emotions, may not be readily apparent. |
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CIREN
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The Crash Injury Research and Engineering Network (CIREN) is a collaborative effort between NHTSA Human Injury Research, trauma physicians, and experts in the fields of impact biomechanics and mechanical engineering. This collaboration collects detailed data on crashes resulting in serious or disabling injury. |
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AACN
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Advanced Automatic Collision Notification (AACN) is a system that provides immediate notification of a motor vehicle crash, along with an estimate of the likelihood of severe injury based on vehicular data (e.g. Delta-V). This system can improve the speed and accuracy of dispatch for motor vehicle crashes and can also help get the right patient to the right hospital by assisting EMS providers in determining which patients need the resources of a trauma center. |
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Human Modeling
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Computer modeling of human tissue began in the 1950s. However, the knowledge of material characteristics and tolerance of human tissue necessary to build and utilize high fidelity human models was lacking up until recently. Stable mathematical codes capable of simulating high energy impacts, such as those occurring in car crashes, also experienced major advances in recent years allowing for simulation of not only the complex kinematics of human body during the crash event, but also predict the onset and severity of potential injury. |
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