Air Bags work best for average people

05-24-2007, 10:55 AM

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zoom44

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Air Bags work best for average people

This was the title of an article in the Oregonian , Portlands daily newspaper, which appeared in the "science" section yesterday May 23rd.

In short the article (i have not found a web link to the article yet) states that Dr. Craig Newgard, an emergency medical researcher at teh Oregon Health and Human Science University (OHSU), analysed the crash data from 65,000 front seat occupants to determine that air bags are most effective for people between 5'3" and 5'11". Air bags were less effective in reducing trauma for those outside that range.

HE also found that for people smaller than 4'11" an taller than 6'3" they were actually harmful. The good Dr Newgard goes on to say "these findings suggest such occupants should not be seated in front of an airbag"

first of i thought this was already determined hence the 2nd gen airbags which go off with less force etc.

2nd- OF COURSE THEY ARE MOST EFFECTIVE FOR THE AVERAGE SIZE PERSON. THATS WHAT THE WERE DESIGNED FOR!!!!!

OSHU paid this guy for analysing a situation for which the answer is already known and can be easily GOOGLED if a person is completly uninformed about car design. here are 2 results from my quick GOOGLE search of car design for human form

http://www.cardesignonline.com/desig...mics/index.php

Quote:

ergonomics
the scientific study of people and their working conditions, especially done in order to improve effectiveness
(Source: Cambridge Dictionary)

anthropometrics
Anthropometrics is the comparative study of human body measurements and properties.
(Source: University of Texas Online)

Ergonomics, or human factors engineering, is, loosely speaking, the science of designing for the human form and human behaviour. As a field, ergonomics covers everything from door handles and buttons to vehicle proportions ......

Considering Humans

People vary dramatically in size and proportion around the world. Scandinavian men are amongst the tallest whilst far eastern women are among the shortest. Similar variations appear in other factors - width (at various points of the body), hand size, reach, weight and so on. ......

Models and Mannequins

Within the automotive industry, representative models and mannequins are used to form the basis for vehicle size and form. Tradionally, these would be simple, actual size 2D models based on the Dreyfuss human dimension data. Henry Dreyfuss was a pioneer of human measurement .....

so i do my next GOOGLE search on Henry Dreyfuss and found a link to info about design software etc

http://www.agocg.ac.uk/reports/graphics/26/node15.htm

i could dig some more for more than the minute i spent and found oodles of data on mannequin sizing and even spent time looking thru our forum here for videos of a young japanese girl at Mazda opening and Closing the rear doors of the RX-8 a million times to get them just right for the average person.

The guy should be fired for wasting the University's money instead of getting press for his ridiculous research and probably more money to continue answering questions for which the answers are already known.

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