Crash Test Dummies: Sensors to Improve Safety
One of the most significant leaps forward in car safety technology was the invention of crash tests and dummies. Whether you’re testing a frontal impact, rear impact or side impact, crash test dummies allow you to assess injury potential and impact forces without (subjecting humans to the dangerous conditions of car crashes. With the revolution of crash test dummy sensors, these abilities increased by magnitude.
Such technologies have already enabled us to make high-precision adjustments to engineering and manufacturing. These account for the vulnerability of various body parts, the weaknesses of car structures and restraint systems, and overall vehicle safety. However, crash test dummies of yore did have some serious drawbacks.
Crash Test Dummies of Yesteryear
Today, crash test dummy sensors have completely reinvented the use of the anthropomorphic dummy. The goal is the same: a dummy is designed to replace a person in tests. But with the revolution of highly precise sensor technology, your ability to track what’s happening in vehicle crashes has never been better.
Dummy technology is more than 60 years old. In that time, we have improved it by leaps and bounds, but only recently have digital systems brought dummies fully into the modern age.
Formerly, dummies were limited by the data acquisition system with limited numbers of sensing points. They showed nicely what happened to the human body during a crash. Using camera technology and rudimentary sensors, they allowed us to measure facets such as:
- Force of impact
- Deceleration rates
- High-pressure zones
- Where the human body was impacted
- The overall safety of the testing vehicle
However, the video can’t capture everything happening during a crash. Plus, with only basic crash test dummy sensors (or none), it’s hard to tell what’s occurring moment by moment. Thus, it is, in turn, tough to address those issues and make safer cars.
How Do Crash Test Dummy Sensors Work?
That’s where crash test dummy sensors come in. To understand what’s happening during and after a crash at the highest level of detail, you need a comprehensive picture of the forces occurring at every point.
With advanced sensor systems, you can create a net of pinpoint data readings across the body and passenger interfaces. These include:
- Where pressure occurs with the use of restraint systems such as seatbelts and airbags
- How the body is affected and supported by the bottom, back and headrest of the seat
- How the external impact affects the internal forces
- Which parts of the head and face are most vulnerable in a crash
Each reading gets transmitted to an onboard data acquisition system, where they are gathered and compiled into meaningful data that shows what’s happening at every point during the crash. The most useful crash test dummy sensors gather thousands of readings per second, allowing for a picture of the simulation far better than what you can capture on video.
Hallmarks of Good Sensor Technology
Good crash test dummy sensors have several things in common. Specifically, they are:
- Remotely triggered, so you don’t have to remove and replace sensors between tests
- Durable enough to avoid constant recalibration between tests
XSENSOR’s Gold Standard Crash Test Dummy Technology
If you want the most reliable, advanced, and trusted crash test dummy technology, there’s nowhere better to turn than XSENSOR. Our sensor technology is state-of-the-art, with decades of experience in the testing industry. Our advanced software platform and sensor solutions partner seamlessly to deliver highly detailed, fully analyzable and actionable data for each microsecond of the crash – and then some.
With our sensors, you can break down each simulation into rich datasets and granular 3D visualizations. You can see what’s happening during a vehicle impact test without missing anything t. Plus, our systems don’t require you to look anywhere else to make them work. With sensors, integrations and software ready to go right out of the box, you can get set up with testing in a concise amount of time.
Spend less time recalibrating and more time gathering the data you need to build a sturdy, reliable and trusted brand. XSENSOR is here to help with comprehensive automobile safety solutions and platforms, so don’t hesitate to get in touch.
