November 2005

Dynamic Research, Inc. has been awarded a Phase II contract from the U.S. Department of Transportation under the Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) program to develop software to calculate occupant forces and motions in real-world crashes. The software comprises multi-body crash simulation software, pre and post processing visualization software, vehicle models, occupant models and an easy-to-use graphical user interface.

The software, the feasibility of which was demonstrated under a Phase I contract beginning in 2002, is intended for a wide variety of accident researchers, including crash investigators such as those in the US/DOT/NHTSA/CIREN and NASS programs, as well as researchers in medical, insurance, product liability, academia, vehicle and component manufacturing and other safety related fields. The goal is to make the software simple to use so that detailed knowledge of the crash simulation program or models is not required. The software is intended to use available crash information to automatically set up and run computer simulations. It will use the recorded or estimated vehicle kinematics and will calculate the three dimensional occupant contacts, forces, and motions, enabling the user to associate these with the observed contacts and injuries.

The user will be able to select cases from CIREN, NASS or other accident databases and the software will use the information in the databases to generate occupant models, vehicle models, restraint system models and an initial estimate of the crash pulse. The software will automatically position the occupant in the seat and fit the seatbelt in the specified position on the lap and torso. The software will then run the crash simulation and compare the simulated occupant to vehicle contacts with those recorded in the accident database. The user will then be able to iteratively refine the crash pulse, occupant or seating position and re-run the simulation.

This Phase II development is expected to be completed in late 2007. If you are interested in this software or have any questions, please contact Scott Kebschull at DRI at +1-310-212-5211.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has contracted Dynamic Research, Inc. (DRI) to perform tests to evaluate light vehicle dynamic rollover resistance as part of its New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). For the 2006 model year, DRI will conduct tests on 36 selected light trucks and passenger cars. These tests are to be conducted at DRI’s recently developed Vehicle Dynamics Area (VDA) near Bakersfield California.

NHTSA has been conducting dynamic rollover resistance tests in response to the “Transportation Recall, Enhancement, Accountability and Documentation (TREAD) Act of November 2000.The purpose of these tests is to quantify on-road, untripped rollover resistance of vehicles. The tests are accomplished by performing a series of “Fishhook” (so called because the path over the ground resembles a fishhook) maneuvers at incrementally increasing speed using a programmed steering controller. The use of an automatic steering controller and standardized maneuver conditions provides for objectivity and repeatability of the evaluation process. Specially designed titanium outriggers are installed on the vehicles to limit vehicle motion. Each vehicle is also equipped with sensors and on-board data acquisition equipment.

DRI has been actively involved in vehicle roll stability evaluations, including NCAP-related rollover resistance studies for a number of years. DRI's activities in this area have included the development of rollover resistance test procedures, and corresponding data reduction and analysis methods, as well as the development and application of several automatic vehicle controllers. On behalf of its clients, DRI has conducted numerous tests using the NHTSA Roll Rate Feedback Fishhook Test as well as various proprietary in-house and client test and evaluation methods.

June 2005

DRI continues to support the Northrop Grumman Corp. X-47B Program

Dynamic Research, Inc. has begun the third of five anticipated phases in a contract from Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) to provide engineering services to support the X-47B portion of the Joint Unmanned Combat Air Systems (J-UCAS) demonstration program.

The J-UCAS program is a joint effort initiated by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), and now under joint U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy management. The goal of the program is to demonstrate the technical feasibility, military utility and operational value of networked, unmanned, air-combat systems to suppress enemy air defenses, perform electronic attack, conduct intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, and perform precision strike attacks for the services.

X-47B Operational Assessment vehicles will be designed, fabricated and flight tested. These vehicles will demonstrate test points both common and unique to the Air Force and Navy, including normal and contingency ground taxi, takeoff and landing operations from NATO type airfields and aircraft carrier deck-based launch and recovery operations. Fully autonomous and human operator controlled capabilities, integrated with manned operations will be demonstrated.

Northrop Grumman selected DRI to help in the development of high fidelity desktop flight dynamic simulation runs, hardware-in-the-loop testing and X-47B ground testing. High fidelity ground/deck and landing gear interaction dynamic simulation models and specific guidance, navigation and control (GN&C) law functionalities will be required. Remote operator command and control and display requirements and demonstration test plans support have also been requested. Northrop Grumman Integrated Systems news is available at: www.northropgrumman.com/unmanned

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Reprinted with permission from ISO Focus, July-August 2004