April 24, 2006 Volume 3, Number 9
Crash Dynamics Lab purchases new test dummies
 | The Crash Dynamics Laboratory at the Wichita State University's National Institute for Aviation Research recently added four Anthropomorphic Test Dummies to its research and testing equipment. |
The purchase brings the labs total number of dummies to 17, and the laboratory now has an entire dummy family, as shown above. The new dummies are a 5th percentile female, six-year-old, three-year-old and 12-month-old. The 12-month-old is a Child Restraint Airbag Interaction (CRABI) dummy, and will be used for child safety seat testing.
The new dummies, with the necessary regulatory instrumentation, will increase the capabilities of the laboratory and allow it to expand services both inside and outside the aerospace industry.
"This new equipment will allow us to perform research and testing for child safety seat manufacturers," said Lab Director Joseph Mitchell. "It greatly enhances the capability and reputation of the lab."
Mitchell said he would like to purchase additional child dummies in the future, but that will depend on the amount of child safety seat work the lab receives.
Some of the existing dummies within the lab include a FAA HybridIII 50th percentile male, HybridIII 50th and 95th percentile males (used in automotive tests), HybridII 50th percentile males and a EuroS.I.D. II.
The Crash Dynamics Lab is a premier dynamic testing facility for the nation’s aircraft and aircraft component manufacturers. It features a MTS Systems Inc. accelerator sled, high-speed digital cameras and 1,000 square feet of client work/office space. To learn more about it visit the website. 
