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Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Monitoring the Center of Gravity of a Vehicle Seat to Detect the Occupant Position

by Alberto Vergnano, Claudio Giorgianni and Francesco Leali

Designs 2024, 8(3), 44; https://doi.org/10.3390/designs8030044 - 15 May 2024

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2851

Deploying an airbag when a vehicle occupant is too close to it can cause injury. An adaptive Airbag Control Unit (ACU) would improve the effectiveness of the safety system, provided it is aware of the actual position of the occupants once the crash is going to occur. Occupants can be monitored with vision-based and radar-based sensing in the vehicle, but the research question is whether other reliable devices exist. In this research, a real seat is equipped with four sensors in the supports from the floor, as well as an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) and a microcontroller. The device is capable of identifying correct position or different Out of Position (OP) conditions and inform an adaptive ACU. The paper presents the seat layout in detail and its testing in extensive driving experiments with multiple participants. Depending on the position of the driver, the identification is correct 45–100% of the time. Monitoring the occupant position by a sensorized seat is feasible and can improve the reliability of the onboard safety system when integrated with other occupant monitoring devices. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Vehicle Engineering Design)

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25 pages, 7190 KB

Open AccessArticle

A Novel Model for Calculating Human-Body Angle Factor in Radiant Heat Transfer: Balancing Computation Accuracy and Speed

by Yuyan Chen, Yingdong He and Nianping Li

Buildings 2024, 14(2), 366; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14020366 - 29 Jan 2024

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1697

Abstract

With the growing interest in radiant heating and cooling systems, driven by their improved efficiency and enhanced thermal comfort compared to air systems, there is an increasing need to develop a more accessible method for designers to understand the implications of radiation heat exchange between the human body and radiant panels. To address this, a novel angle factor calculation model, named the HNU Angle Factor Model, was developed, taking into account the spatial arrangement and geometric relationship between the human body and radiant panels. The angle factors obtained using the HNU Angle Factor Model exhibited good agreement with the results obtained with Fanger diagrams and the contour integral method, with average relative differences of 8.1% and 10.0% for 140 cases, respectively. Furthermore, placing a radiant panel on the floor while maintaining its fixed size can contribute to the creation of an even and efficient thermal environment for individuals in both seated and standing positions. By implementing the HNU Angle Factor Model in practical engineering applications, more effective utilization of radiant systems can be achieved, as it provides an evaluation of the heat transfer between the human body and radiant panels. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Building Energy, Physics, Environment, and Systems)

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21 pages, 7974 KB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

The Design of a Structural Hyper-Resisting Element for Life-Threatening Earthquake Risk (SHELTER) for Building Collapse Scenarios: The Safety Chairs

by João Guerreiro, Luís Guerreiro, Seyedsajjad Hosseini, Rita Moura and João Gomes Ferreira

Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(9), 4103; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12094103 - 19 Apr 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2523

Abstract

Project SHELTER, Structural Hyper-resisting Element for Life-Threatening Earthquake Risk, aims at developing a strong and stiff functional unit to protect its occupants in case of severe earthquakes that lead to structural collapse. In case of collapse, these units will suffer impacts, particularly if they are installed in upper floors. To avoid severe injuries or death of occupants caused by collapse, safety chairs were designed, provided with shock-absorber systems and auxiliary retaining devices, to keep the occupants properly seated and safe. Three downfall scenarios were evaluated, consisting of vertical and tilted positions. A comprehensive numerical model to represent the human body was developed, mainly focused on chest behaviour and considering the anatomic limits of the vertebral spine. The mechanical ability of the safety chair to ensure the occupants’ safety was evaluated under these harsh conditions. Experimental downfall-and-impact tests will later be performed on shelter units, with crash-test dummies seated on the safety chairs for final validation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Life Safety Techniques for Earthquake Events—Alternative Approaches to Overall Building Strengthening)

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13 pages, 4259 KB

Open AccessArticle

Ciranda—An Inclusive Floor Seating Positioning System and Social Enterprise

by Tulio Maximo, Erika Foureaux, Xiao Lu Wang and Kenneth N. K. Fong

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(21), 7942; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17217942 - 29 Oct 2020

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3117

Abstract

One of the first challenges for many children with physical disabilities is to sit independently. A floor seating positioning system enables this milestone, helping a child to maintain eye level with other children, play and learn on the floor, rectify his or her posture, and, therefore, helps to include the child within his or her social spectrum. Ciranda is the first comprehensive floor seat solution in Brazil to attend to those needs. The project collected anthropometric data from 370 children who were unable to sit without support. A sample of 37 families of these children was visited, observed, and interviewed. A project requirement compiled key insights from the field data to support a multidisciplinary team of collaborators to co-design solutions. The project resulted in two floor seating positioning systems to attend to different needs. One is a social enterprise where the children’s parents and the community build the seat while the child in need and his or her friends engage in entertainment. The other is a salable seat that helps to raise funds for the social enterprise. The model also unravels other challenges common to assistive technologies, such as access to a device and training for the use and maintenance of the device. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assistive Technologies for Children, Young People and Adults)

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