Frontal crashes can be classified as full, offset, or small overlap impacts. Although the former two impacts have received considerable attention in crashworthiness and promulgation of worldwide standards, small overlap crashes have undergone limited analyses from field and laboratory investigation perspectives. The objective of the present study was to analyze small overlap impacts using data ...

This paper presents a comprehensive steady-state numerical study for an occupant-loaded vehicle seat with internal heating under severe winter conditions. A participant-based postural study showed that the nominal peak occupant seat pressure was 6kPa on the seat cushion, and 2.5kPa on the backrest. Uni-axial compression tests also indicated non-linear stress-strain behaviors in seating. Using a...

The use of airbags into automobiles has significantly improved the safety of the occupants. Unfortunately, when airbags are deployed in the case of a crash, they can also cause fatal injuries if the occupant is a child smaller (in weight) than a typical 6 year old. In response to this, The National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration (NHTSA) has mandated that, starting in the 2006 ...

This paper argues that Sulmasy and Sugarman have not succeeded in showing a moral difference between withholding and withdrawing treatment. In particular, they have misunderstood historical entitlement theory, which does not automatically prefer a first occupant by just acquisition.

This paper analyzes two modeling approaches for occupant behaviour in buildings. It compares a purely statistical approach with a multi-agent social simulation based approach. The study concerns the door openings in an office.

Abstract This paper investigates how poor-quality housing affects Vietnamese individuals’ health, measured using the number of sick days, which directly productivity and economic growth. Our analysis addresses endogeneity issues generally ignored in previous studies. We provide evidence, robust to various alterations that, absence an indoor water tap homeownership, harmful cooking fuel type, po...

BACKGROUND Up to 70% of atopic asthmatics have a positive skin test to the dust mite allergen Der p 1. Reduction of dust mite numbers by lowering room humidity control is one suggested technique for reducing dust mite allergen levels to clinically acceptable levels. Trials of this technique in temperate climates have reported mixed results. It has been speculated that one reason for this is tha...

Wheelchairs are primarily designed for mobility and are not necessarily intended for use as motor vehicle seats. However, many wheelchairs serve as vehicle seats for individuals unable to transfer to a vehicle seat. Subjecting wheelchairs to sled testing, in part establishes the crashworthiness of wheelchairs used as motor vehicle seats. Computer simulations provide a supplemental approach for ...

Modeling occupant behavior in smart buildings to reduce energy usage in a more accurate fashion has garnered much recent attention in the literature. Predicting occupant comfort in buildings is a related and challenging problem. In some smart buildings, such as NASA AMES Sustainability Base, there are discrepancies between occupants’ actual thermal discomfort and sensors based upon a weighted a...