Measuring Pressure Interface Of Local Car Seats Under Static And Dynamic Circumstances: A Comparative Study

@# Measuring discomfort towardthe car seat is important as the act of driving requires a driver to remain at the car seat while controlling the car. The seat condition, including sitting position as well as the driver’s posture can lead to discomfort and fatigue. The objective of this study is to investigate a driver’s pressure distribution in static and dynamic circumstances for two types of cars; the sedan and compact car. This study involved both subjective and objective evaluations of 12 respondents. For the subjective evaluation, the Visual Analog Scales (VAS) were used to obtain respondents' perception of discomfort. For the objective evaluation, pressure distribution readings of the seat interface were obtained using piezo capacitive sensors. The findings showed that the highest pressure was recorded for the compact car. Furthermore, the static circumstance showed greater pressure compared to the dynamic state. Subjective evaluation indicated that the right buttocks and the lower back (lumbar)experience the highest discomfort for both types of seats.The type of seat found to contribute to the value of different pressure. Thus, it can be concluded that appropriate seat selection can reduce pressure as well as discomfort.

Design Automotive Driver Seat Ergonomically For Malaysian Anthropometry Measurement

Aesthetic value of the automotive car seat has been one of the selling points of each car besidesproviding functions such as being safe, supportive as well provides comfort to the occupants. Othercriteria considered besides the aesthetic element are cushion foam and self-adjustment factor.Ergonomics is not a new issue because most of the existing seat design today have already practiced it.Existing car seat manufacturers have considered anthropometry data. The average upon 95th percentile ofhuman measurement had been deliberated. However, issues such as time spent driving and seat designissue have arisen upon the search of comfort and rising of musculoskeletal disease such as back pain. As asolution, this study would propose an automotive car seat design of ergonomic evolution, which wouldcreate comfort by manipulating the seat cushion foams. The proposed seat cushion foam would be use toreplace the existing polymers with beanbag foam. This is inspire by the nature of beanbag, fitting up andproviding comfort to the occupants of various body sizes and shapes. Malaysian anthropometrymeasurements are required for design of car seat, which later compared with the existing seats ofcommercial vehicle. The literature review showed the pressure mapping technique of respondent seatingon the existing car seat. The most sensitive compartments where discomfort are experienced studied andplaced with sachets filed with beanbag beads. This experiment conducted many times over a fewrespondents by using the pressure mat to find out, if there are any changes in terms of comfort. Thisdesign of new car seat with a manipulation cushion foam replaced with beanbag foam could be a niche toeliminate discomfort to all range body sizes and shapes.

Effects of Pre-discharge Education for the Correct Use of Child Occupant Restraints

PURPOSE: To determine the effects of pre-discharge education for the correct use of child occupant restraints (CORs). METHODS: Between January and August 2012, education for the correct use of CORs was provided to parents at the time of discharge of their newborns from our neonatal intensive care unit. A cross-sectional survey using self-report questionnaires or telephone interviews was conducted when the children were 6 to 12 months of age, and the acquired data were compared with data from a control group. RESULTS: The overall percentage of children using CORs was 73.4% for the COR educated group and 69.9% for the control group. However, the percentage of children who correctly used CORs was 42.2% for COR educated group and 44.3% for the control group. There was no statistically significant difference in parental awareness and perception of the correct use of CORs between the two groups. CONCLUSION: The correct use rate of CORs in our community is still low, and no difference in the correct use of CORs was observed between parents who were educated before discharge of their newborns and those who were not. Therefore, an alternative strategy, such as a strong enforcement program, is needed to increase the correct use of CORs.

Static analysis of harness fit inforward-facing child restraints

O presente estudo tem a finalidade de avaliar o sistema de proteção dos dispositivos de retenção infantil, tais como a passagem do cinto de cinco pontos, referentes às tiras do torso e abdominais, e também avaliar a localização de componentes de proteção. Três modelos de dispositivos foram analisados em laboratório simulador no banco traseiro de veículo usando um dummy de três anos da família Hybrid III. A coleta de dados foi feita por meio de marcas predeterminadas no dummy e nos dispositivos e registradas tridimensionalmente por um equipamento digitalizador de pontos em 3D (FaroArm). Para isso, o dummy foi instalado nos assentos após sua fixação no carro seguindo os padrões da norma norte-americana nº 213, da Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard – FMVSS “Child Restraint Systems” (NHTSA, 2005). Os resultados mostraram uma grande variação no posicionamento dos componentes de proteção entre os modelos analisados. O cinto do torso apresentou diferenças em sua passagem no tórax superior conforme a altura de regulagem. A posição do cinto abdominal também variou entre os modelos, sendo observada a passagem do mesmo na região do abdômen ao invés de locais mais rígidos, como os ossos da pélvis. Além disso, a localização do componente lateral de proteção da cabeça sofreu grande variação em relação ao centro de gravidade de cabeça do dummy, indicando que, em alguns casos, a cabeça da criança pode não ser protegida lateralmente por se deslocar amplamente no caso de impacto lateral do carro, o que provocaria lesão. Os resultados deste trabalho sugerem que o design de assentos infantis ainda apresenta falhas quanto ao posicionamento dos componentes de proteção em relação às características anatômicas da criança, considerando a ampla faixa etária para que são fabricados.

A material suitable for craniofacial reconstruction must be easy to implant, have the appropriate shape, have the strength and deformation similar to the original bone, be eventually substitutedfor natural bone, be widely available and present affordable costs. As such as material, with all theses characteristics is still not available, it is important to search for new materials, new compositions and new design. Different biomaterials are used nowadays for craniofacial reconstruction surgeries, each one presenting its advantages and limitations. Among these materials are the titanium, the poli(methilmetacrilate) and the calcium phosphate cements. Titanium presents hard conformation; poli(methilmetacrilate)’spolymerization reaction is exothermic, which may cause necrosis of the adjacent tissues; calcium phosphate cement is brittle, an usual characteristic of ceramic materials. In this way, this study evaluated different materials used for craniofacial reconstruction and its mechanical properties when submitted to bending test, such as poli(methilmetacrilate), calcium phosphate cement and calcium phosphate cement reinforced with titanium. It was verified the improvement in the mechanical properties of the calcium phosphatecement when reinforced with titanium mesh. In addition, this study presents a method for design and manufacturing of customized craniofacial implants using calcium phosphate cement reinforced with titanium mesh, validated through four cases of craniofacial reconstruction surgery indication.

Utilização de automóveis familiares para o transporte de crianças: um estudo preliminar sobre o uso de dispositivos de retenção infantil / Family car use for transportation of children: a preliminary study of the use of child car seats

OBJETIVOS: determinar a freqüência de utilização de automóveis familiares por usuários de creches na cidade de Maringá, Paraná, Brasil. MÉTODOS: a cidade foi agrupada em seis estratos, de acordo com características sócio-ocupacionais da população e tipo de creches. Utilizando breves entrevistas com os coordenadores das creches foi mensurada a freqüência de utilização de automóveis para o transporte de crianças às creches em cada estrato. RESULTADOS: 62,4% dos usuários de automóveis familiares para o transporte de crianças concentram-se em 32 creches, de quatro estratos. CONCLUSÕES: os quatro estratos que contém a maioria dos usuários de automóveis serão exploradas por estudo futuro para determinar a freqüência de utilização de dispositivos de retenção infantil.

OBJECTIVES: to investigate the frequency of use of the family car for transportation of children to day-care centers in the city of Maringá, State of Paraná, Brazil. METHODS: the city was divided into six strata according to social and occupational characteristics and the day care-center attended. Utilizing short interviews with day-care centers' coordinators it was measured the frequency of use of car for transportation of children to day-care centers to each stratum. RESULTS: 62.4% of the families that use cars for transporting children to day-care centers used 32 of the day-care centers and fell into four of the demographic strata. CONCLUSIONS: the four strata that contain the majority of car users will be explored by future investigation to determine the frequency of use of the child car seat.