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Human Perception of Seat Vibration Quality Pilot Study
No full textDriving comfort and automotive product quality are strongly associated with the vibration that is transmitted to the occupants of a vehicle at the points of contact to the human body, including the seat, steering wheel, and pedals. Of these three contact locations, the seats have the most general importance, as all occupants of a vehicle experience seat vibration. Particularly relevant to driving comfort is the way in which vehicle occupants perceive seat vibration, which may be different than expected considering sensor measured vibration levels. Much of the interest in seat vibration has been focused on internal combustion engine powertrain vibration, especially idle vibration. However, electrification of vehicles changes the focus from low frequency idle vibration to higher frequency vibration sources. In this pilot study, the equal comfort curves for seat vibration were physically measured, which quantified perceived vibration amplitude as a function of amplitude and frequency with emphasis on higher frequency vibration. A human jury of six people was employed in a laboratory environment along with a paired comparison test methodology to establish an equivalency of perceived seat vibration for a wide range of vibration amplitudes over a wide range of frequencies. The results include preliminary equal comfort curves for seat vibration. Recommendations for how the study can be expanded beyond the pilot stage, including improving the statistical significance of the results, are also presented
Crash Performance of Rear-facing Restraints With a Fracture Type Spica Casted 1-Year-Old Dummy
No full textBackground: Motor vehicle crashes represent a significant cause of mortality and morbidity for young children. Safely restraining a child is typically more complicated for special cases such as children treated with a hip spica cast. In the current study, hip spica casts typical for treatment of a femoral fracture were applied to a crash dummy representing the size and weight of a 1-year-old child. This spica casted dummy was used to study the performance of 4 rear-facing car seats in a series of simulated frontal impacts.
Methods: The restrained, rear-facing dummy was subjected to a frontal crash test at 30 mph (48 kph) per federal guidelines. Two of the tested car seats were specifically designed for transporting children with hip spica casts, while the other 2 were conventional seats capable of accommodating the cast. All seats were installed per the manufacturer’s instructions. As a control, tests were performed without a cast using the conventional/standard seats.
Results: The lowest overall loading of the dummy’s head, neck, and chest occurred during tests with the standard seats. While it was easier to seat the casted child in the spica-specific seats, these designs led to greater loading on the dummy’s body. In a spica-specific seat, the chest acceleration values exceeded the federal limit in a test where the seat was installed in a reclined orientation that was within the manufacturer’s described positioning.
Conclusions: Spica-specific seats more easily accommodate the cast, but conventional seats can provide similar levels of protection in a crash. As cast and seat designs continue to evolve, hospitals might consider having a range of seats available for patient use. It is important to help caregivers make informed decisions on how and when to transport children with hip spica casts
1/20/2021: Faculty Senate Unapproved Meeting Minutes
No full textAlternative Thesis Project (ATP) Motion Moved to send motion to Thesis Committee for review. Approved (13,0
1/27/2021: Course Change Form Comm 101
No full textWith Comm 201 approved to be eliminated in Summer of 2021, “Rhetoric & Writing II” will no longer exist, making the title “Rhetoric & Writing I” a non sequitur. To avoid confusion, we wish to change the title of COMM 101 to “Rhetoric & Writing.
1/27/21: Course Change Form CE 651
No full textThis course was offered experimentally as a Special Topics CE491/691, Introduction to Autonomous Driving, in Winter 2020. Now assigning permanent status to CE451/651 and adding it into the curriculum
1/27/21: CE-451/CE-651 INTRODUCTION TO AUTONOMOUS DRIVING
No full textThis syllabus is an introduction to CE 451/CE 651.
This course provides an overview of theoretical and practical background regarding the design and development of autonomous vehicle systems. Topics include an overview of autonomous vehicle systems, autonomous vehicle localization technologies, perception in autonomous driving, decision and planning, and control for autonomous driving. This course aims to cover the basics of autonomous driving through lectures, discussion, assignments, and readings on current topics in automated driving. CE-651 students will be required to complete additional projects or independent review of research topics with approval of the instructor
1/27/21: Course Change Form LS 489
No full textSince COMM 201 will be eliminated beginning Summer Term 2021, we no longer need to list it as a prerequisite for LS 489.
ECON 201 is not a required course for LS 489 in terms of content. It was listed only to ensure that students were far enough along in their LS sequence. A junior standing requirement (previously approved) will suffice for this
Electrical Property of Polypropylene Films Subjected to Different Temperatures and DC Electric Fields
No full textA polypropylene (PP) film is usually used as a dielectric material in capacitors as well as cables. However, PP films may degrade because of the combined effect of temperature and electric field. In an earlier study, plain PP films and PP films loaded with nano-metric natural clay were studied under sinusoidal (AC) electric fields at power frequency and temperatures above the ambient. To better understand the electrical characteristics of PP film under various conditions, the objective of this study is to determine the time-to-breakdown of the plain PP and PP filled with 2% (wt) natural nano-clay when subjected to time-invariant (DC) electric fields at elevated temperatures. In order to achieve this objective, the effects of uniform as well as non-uniform electric fields were compared at the same temperature for the PP film. In this study, experimental results indicated that the time-to-breakdown of all PP films, plain or filled with nano-clay, decreases with the increase in electric field intensity, non-uniformity of the electric field, and temperature. It was also found that the time-to-breakdown of PP film filled with 2% (wt) natural nano-clay under DC electric field is longer and less sensitive to temperature. Furthermore, when compared with the results under the uniform electric field, PP film filled with 2% (wt) nano-metric natural clay indicates shorter time-to-failure under non-uniform DC electric fields. Finally, the morphology of the samples was observed by digital camera, optical micrography, and SEM, to better understand the mechanism of the breakdow