Spinal injury (vertebra fracture) during aircraft ejection or vertical helicopter crash is a serious problem due to the human body's inability to tolerate excessive +Gz acceleration. Although anthropomorphic test devices (ATD) or manikins have been used to assess, develop and standardize ejection seat and crash safety, they do not represent the spinal response under high acceleration loading. Flex Technology has designed and developed an innovative flexible structure which has the potential to mimic the properties of the human spine for incorporation within an ATD. It is proposed to review the current staus and properties of ATD spinal units as well as human vertebal specimens, research and document the spine's response to high impact loading, to design and develop using dynamic computer modelling an innovative flexible structure that has the stiffness properties comparable to experimentally determined vertebral stiffness, and to construct prototype units for mechanical testing and response verification. The key elements of the proposed unit is its simplistic, continuous, one piece design, and ability to customize the mechanical properties. The unit will be computer designed based on experimentally determined vertebral properties. Phase II developments will include a multi-degree of freedom spinal unit, a female unit, whole body response testing and verification, and further testing in anticipation of government acceptance. In order to accomplish the task with the highest degree of success and scientific ability, the offeror has assembled a team of consultants that are World renown in the field of spine and impact biomechanics.
