Dr. Charles Jennissen, with the University of Iowa's Department of Emergency Medicine presented this at CPSC's ATV Safety Summit Oct. 12, 2012.
The Safety Information and Guidance Provided to Parents by All-Terrain Vehicle Dealers and Sales Representatives' Objective: To determine the practice of ATV dealers and salespersons with respect to providing safety information since enactment of the 2009 U.S. Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. Methods: A "secret buyer" method was utilized to evaluate seller practices. Results: 50 dealerships from 4 states were studied. 35 subjects (70%) were willing to show and discuss selling an adult-sized ATV when told that the purchase was for a 12 year old. Seven (14%) responded that ATVs should not have extra riders when the investigator made statements about the adequacy of a seat being long enough for a child to give a sibling rides. Only one subject, when prompted, informed the investigator about the need for a 12 year old to complete ATV safety training to drive in a public ATV park. Conclusions: Most ATV sellers in this study failed to follow requirements regarding age recommendations or to provide other safety information. Those who did often voiced concerns about possible negative repercussions from violations. Dealership compliance would likely benefit from increased enforcement, training, and resources. However, a "don't ask, don't tell" relationship between seller and buyer was alluded to during the study. This practice would predictably limit the impact of regulation enforcement.
1. Determining Rider-Vehicle Dynamics
Utilizing an ATV Simulator
Charles Jennissen, MD
Gerene Denning, PhD
Department of Emergency Medicine,
University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
Salam Rahmatalla, PhD
Environment and Civil Engineering,
Jonathan DeShaw, MSE
Biomedical Engineering
University of Iowa College of Engineering
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2. Background
University of Iowa and the College of Engineering has very
strong computer modeling and simulator programs.
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3. Virtual Soldier
Santos, a high fidelity avatar
Biomechanical musculoskeletal
modeling along with predicative
dynamics technology
Can deliver feedback on how a
certain type of task or combination
of movements will impact a
human's level of fatigue, speed,
strength and torque over a period
of time.
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5. Hank Virtual Environments Lab
Focuses on using virtual
environments to study human
perception and action.
Understand how children and
adults negotiate traffic-filled
intersections in our virtual
environment.
Understand how people
perceive and adapt to virtual
environments.
Factors that put children at risk
for getting hit by motor vehicles
when crossing intersections
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6. National Advanced Driving Simulator (NADS)
One of the two most sophisticated
driving simulators in the world.
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7. MiniSim
Harnesses the technological sophistication of NADS in a
compact, customizable configuration.
Can be rapidly deployed for off-site or multi-sited research,
population-specific assessment, or driver training.
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9. 3D Bio-Motion Research Lab
Performs applied and basic research in human
motion and biomechanics.
Moog ECU-624-1800
Electric Motion System
A tilt/vibration platform that is
capable of acceleration of up to
15 m/s² in the longitudinal, lateral,
and vertical directions.
(Simulate Speed)
Can generate angular motion of
at least 20 degrees in the roll,
pitch and yaw directions.
(Simulate Sloped Terrain)
Can vary vibration frequncies.
(Simulate Rough Terrain)
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10. 3D Bio-Motion Research Lab
Moog Electric Motion
System
State of the art motion
tracking equipment including
a Vicon system with 12 SV
cameras and a Motion
Analysis system with 16
Eagle-4 cameras.
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11. ATV simulator
Bought a non-functioning
Yamaha Bruin 4x4 ATV.
Stripped the tires and
modified it so that the
ATV could be secured to
the motion platform.
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12. ATV simulator
Created a padded
protective structure
around the ATV that
could be secured to the
motion platform.
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14. Subjects
6 adult males
18-45 years of age
Within one standard deviation of mean height
and weight for an average adult male
≥100 hours of ATV operating experience
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15. Methods
Reflective markers were placed on the
subjects (24) and on the vehicle (4).
Accelerometers placed on helmet and at
C7
A series of seven programs were
performed by each participant with
changes at a variety of accelerations.
2 identical pitch programs
(incline/decline)
2 identical roll programs (side hill/side to
side)
2 identical vertical change programs
(hole/bump)
1 program with all elements
Small vibrational motion in 6 degrees of
freedom used as physical distraction and
to mimic normal vehicle vibration
Movie of ATV riding through wooded area
used as mental distraction
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16. Methods
Subjects were video
recorded from the back
and side.
Vicon motion capture system recorded motion
of the subject from the pelvis and above
Motion data analyzed with Visual 3D™
Software which is NIH approved
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26. Rolling – At Time of Largest Motion
Subject 1 & Repeat Subject 2 & Repeat Subject 3 & Repeat
27. Rolling – At Time of Largest Motion
Subject 4 & Repeat Subject 5 & Repeat Subject 6 & Repeat
28. Rolling – Angle Between Torso and ATV
AVERAGE 4 Point: C7 to Pelvis to 4 Wheeler Angle
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Sub1
Sub1 Repeat
Sub 2
Sub 2 Repeat
Front View Back View 30 Sub3
Sub3 Repeat
Sub 4
Sub 4 Repeat
Sub5
Sub5 Repeat
20
Sub 6
Sub 6 Repeat
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Angle - (Degrees)
0
-10
-20
*Measured degrees from vertical
Angle from C7 to the center of the pelvis to
the ATV -30
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400
Cycle, Time = 2 Seconds
31. Future Studies
Will add pressure sensors on the handle
grips, seat, and footrests to provide
additional biomechanical measurements.
32. Conclusions
Our preliminary data provides proof-of-
principle for using our simulator to study
“active riding.”
Future studies include determining how
factors such as gender, age, inexperience,
and passengers influence rider-vehicle
dynamics.
Simulator-based technology is a powerful
and safe tool to address research questions
related to ATV operation that cannot be
tested using other methods.