Founded: Established by the U.S. Navy in 1971;
Transferred to UNO 1996
Full Time: 7
Part Time: 2
Students: 1 Graduate Assistant, 1 Undergraduate Worker
Budget: $335,000
Director: Dr. Thomas G. Dobie
National Biodynamics Laboratory
College of Engineering
University of New Orleans
2000 Lakeshore Drive
New Orleans, LA 70148
Telephone: 504/257-3917 or 504/2573900 Fax: 504/257-5456
E-Mail: nbdl@uno.edu Website:
www.nbdl.org/
Research Areas:
The laboratory conducts biodynamics and human factors research to enhance performance and prevent injury to human beings when they are exposed to external forces, motions, and accelerations such as those encountered in aircraft, ships, automobiles and other moving environments. All of the NBDL test devices are available for participation in joint research programs with private industry, government and Department of Defense Agencies, and universities. Cost estimates for utilizing the unique devices can be furnished upon request.
Areas of Expertise:
Human factors investigations of optimal operator/equipment or operator/environment interaction
Indirect head and neck acceleration of the human body
Custodian for the National Crash Survival Data Bank
Cognitive-Behavioral anti-motion sickness training program
Machining of test fixtures for high-g testing applications
Operation and configuration of on-site, unique, man-rated test devices and simulator systems: Ship Motion Simulator, Six Degrees-of-Freedom Motion Platform, Motion Desensitization Devices, CVC HYGE (TM) 12" horizontal accelerator, and CVC HYGE (TM) 6" vertical accelerator
Recording of shipboard motion data
Configuration of data acquisition systems to measure ship shock, vibration, or acceleration data
Special Capabilities and Facilities
Accelerator Test Facilities: The National Biodynamics Laboratory's (NBDL) Accelerator Test Facilities are based on the Bendix (CVC) Hyge Shock Testing Systems. The Horizontal Accelerator uses a 12-inch Hyge system and the Vertical Accelerator uses a 6-inch Hyge system. Over 6000 test runs have been successfully completed on the accelerators over the last 25 years. The Facilities share a common system for data acquisition that consists of a 28 channel inertial system and a 31 channel physiological system. An optical data acquisition system for gathering displacement test data via 500 or 1000 frames per second high-speed 16mm film cameras, complements these two systems. Still photographs can be taken to document pre- and post-test conditions. Three different sleds are available for use as test platforms on the Horizontal Accelerator. The 700-foot long horizontal test track is unique to the NBDL Facility and allows the moving sled to coast to a stop. Thus, a deceleration force is not applied to the test specimen. The use of brakes is optional for most test conditions. The Vertical Accelerator travels up a 43-foot tower.
The Horizontal Accelerator can generate up to 140gs with a maximum velocity of 150 ft/sec and the Vertical Accelerator generates up to 75gs with a maximum velocity of 62 ft/sec. These levels are dependent upon the weight of the sled or carriage and of their payload.
The NBDL acceleration facility has been used primarily to obtain the dynamic head and neck response of living humans, but has had a number of other applications:
- Evaluation of shock absorbing helicopter seats
- Evaluation of the effectiveness of air bags in protecting helicopter crews from impact with weapons sighting systems
- Evaluation of the feasibility of a space shuttle crew extraction system.
- Evaluation of the space shuttles fuel tanks susceptibility to puncture by icicles.
Ship Motion Simulator: NBDL houses a unique ship motion simulator (SMS) capable of simulating ship motion in conditions up to sea state five with three degrees of freedom: heave, pitch, and roll. The system can accept inputs from manual controls, sinusoidal or arbitrary waveform function generators, or a PC-based system that plays back a digital motion profile of an actual ship operating in a particular sea state. The moving cab is 10 feet wide by 8 feet deep with a ceiling height of 8 feet. The forward top edge is truncated to accommodate forward pitch motion adjacent to the tower. In its standard configuration the air conditioned cab is windowless, although outside view ports can be installed as required. Continuous observation of subject(s) from the control room is possible by means of closed circuit video cameras. A two-way audio communication system is used to maintain contact with the subject(s). The cab can be reconfigured (within payload restrictions) to accommodate virtually any set-up that will fit inside the cabin. Two data acquisition system are available: one is used to record a subject's physiological response to motion and the second records the motion inputs and the response of the simulator. NBDL also has a static cab that can be configured with features identical to the moving cab. Performance testing done in this cab yields a performance level unaffected by motion. These results can then be compared to test scores obtained in the moving cab in order to isolate the effect of motion on a subject's performance. The SMS has been man-rated for use with human subjects.
Six Degrees of Freedom Motion Platform: The motion system is based on the Moog 6DOF2000E and provides six degrees of freedom (6 DOF). The Moog 6 DOF is a self-contained motion system with its own power systems, servo controllers, safety monitors, and overload protection. The system interfaces to NBDL's PC-based motion controller. System motion mechanics are based on the simulator industry standard 6 DOF synergistic mechanism. Motion of the system is accomplished using six electro-mechanical actuators. The 6 DOF can be used to place human subjects in varying low level, motion environments and measure their cognitive and physiological responses to the motion. The NBDL subject/equipment platform mounted on the flying triangle is designed to be reconfigurable to meet experimental protocols while maintaining the safety of the subject at all times. By modifying the equipment platform and reprogramming the NBDL motion controller, the 6 DOF could also be used as a vehicle or flight simulator. Equipment testing can also be performed on the 6 DOF Motion Platform. The 6DOF has been man-rated for use with human subjects.
Motion Desensitization Devices: The three Motion Desensitization Devices operated by the National Biodynamics Laboratory consist of a rotating optokinetic drum, a fixed location tilting/rotating chair, and a mobile tilting/rotating chair. These devices were designed and fabricated by NBDL personnel and are used to provide controlled, passive provocative motion stimuli to a subject seated in or on the device. They are used for motion research and as part of a cognitive-behavioral anti-motion sickness training program
The Motion Desensitization Drum: The rotating drum desensitization device is actually a modified Dichgans and Brandt drum constructed for whole field visual stimulation. This test device consists of a large cylinder fabricated from lightweight tubing and lined with a continuous white plastic inner shell. The drum is 5 feet (1.5m) in diameter and 4 feet (1.2m) high. Black Mylar tape has been applied to the interior of the drum to achieve a pattern of alternating black and white stripes. The ceiling of the drum is mirrored so that the stripes extend to fill the entire visual field of the subject. The drum is connected to a suspension platform that, in turn, is connected to ceiling anchors by cables. This system permits absolute leveling of the apparatus and prevents oscillation of the platform during drum rotation.
A variable speed, reversible, direct current motor connected to the drive shaft by a speed reduction chain drive produces rotation. The rotation speed of the drum can be controlled from less that one revolution per minute (rpm) to more than 18 rpm. A small raised platform holds a chair on which the subject is seated inside the drum during experiments. A headrest is provided for stability of the subject's head. An abort switch is located on the arm of the subject's chair, close to the hand. When depressed by the subject, this switch terminates the testing, should a point of intolerance be reached. The Motion Desensitization Drum has been man-rated for use with human subjects.
The Motion Desensitization Chair I (MDC I): The MDC I has been designed to provide three axes of stimulation to a subject seated in the chair: pitch, roll, and rotation. Pitch and roll can travel "40 degrees about the center position and rotation is adjustable up to 20 revolutions per minute, clockwise or counterclockwise. All motion is provided by electrically operated actuators. The pitch and roll motion of the chair can be programmed to travel from corner to corner in a "_" pattern, in an "X" pattern, or in a "+" pattern. The chair consists of a base, an aluminum frame that allows pitch and roll motion, and the electronic control system. The control system is programmed using Hewlett Packard VEE software, which runs on a standard PC. The base houses the rotation motor and associated control electronics along with a slip ring assembly. The slip ring system on the test device allows control signals to be presented to the actuators while the chair rotates. Also installed in the base is the bearing that supports the tilting/rotating chair support framework. Two electric linear actuators mounted to the frame supply the force to move the chair about its pitch and roll axes. Switches installed on the frame provide a safety interlock to shut down the control system should pitch and roll motion exceed safe limits. The control system is mounted in a standard 19-inch equipment rack and can be located up to 25 feet away from the chair.
The MDC I is fitted with a suspension seat for the subject along with a restraint system and integral headrest system on the seatback to stabilize the head during motion. At anytime, the subject can stop the testing by depressing the hand-held abort switch. Various interlocks prevent premature motion of the chair and provide immediate shutdown of the control system in the event of a malfunction. During a test run an operator and experimenter are present at all times. The MDC I has been man-rated for use with human subjects.
The Motion Desensitization Chair II (MDC II): The basic functions of the MDC II are similar to those of the MDC I. The major difference is the ability of the MDC II to be transported to off-site facilities to be used in desensitization programs. The chair and its control electronics are mounted inside a 20 by 7 foot trailer that can be towed to the customer's site. This method is more cost effective when large numbers of subjects are to be tested or treated for chronic motion sickness.
The MDC II consists of a base with support bearings, slip rings, and integral rotation motor. The base is secured to the floor of the trailer and supports the tilting aluminum frame of the chair. Electric linear actuators provide the force to produce the pitch and roll motions. The control system is mounted in a standard 19-inch equipment rack adjacent to the chair and to the rear of the trailer. The MDC II uses a dedicated, hard-wired electronics system to provide control for the four motion patterns. A lightweight wall with a doorway separates the operator station from the chair. The door is normally closed during testing. An intercom system allows the experimenter to converse with the subject and a video system provides monitoring of the subject's movements. The interior of the trailer around the chair is painted flat black to help eliminate any visual clues that could be presented to the subject. The MDC II has been man-rated for use with human subjects.
Vibration Platform: NBDL has received funding to purchase and install a new Electro-hydraulic Vibration Testing System. This system will have the capability of performing swept sine, random, classical shock, transient time history, and resonance search, track and dwell testing. The vibration testing system will be used to investigate the effects of vibration on human performance in various environments such as those found on ships, aircraft, and vehicles. The system will be installed and operational by mid 2004.
Biomechanics Tracking System: NBDL currently has a Phoenix Technologies Inc. (PTI) Visualeyez system for acquiring 3-D data. This is an active, optical Light Emitting Diode (LED) tracking system that operates at 3300 Hz frequency and allows the tracking of the human body or other objects in 3-D space. The system includes a sensor, target control modules (TCM), and LED's. The sensor unit is approximately. three feet long and eight inches in diameter and encloses three LED sensors. The TCM's have been upgraded to the new, smaller units featuring external antennae. The LED's are proprietary PTI units, which are extraordinarily bright and emit in 160 degrees. Also available are the higher emissivity, lower visible light LED's used on specific target areas such as the face. The system has the capability to track eight different TCM's with a maximum of 64 LED's affixed to each TCM at once, in either wired or wireless mode. The NBDL sensor has been calibrated to track the active LED's to an accuracy level of 0.6 mm at ranges of 0.5 up to 5 meters, and is capable, under optimal circumstances, to track targets farther than ten meters away. Because of the unique way which the PTI system works, only one of a possible 512 markers (LED's) is on at any given time; thus, the system discretely identifies each LED and they can be uniquely named. This is intrinsic in the NBDL formulated Center-of-Mass (COM) Tracker, as specific markers are placed on certain anthropometric landmarks to derive the location of the subject's COM. Data are collected with PTI's proprietary VZSoft software, and are then introduced into Kaydara's Filmbox animation software. Filmbox is the computational platform from which the NBDL representation of the body's center-of-mass tracker is constructed; the raw data are loaded into a template constructed in Filmbox which computes the segmental centers-of-mass of the various body limbs, incorporates the COM of the segments into a single, integrated body COM, and tracks this in relation to what has been defined as being the base of support, i.e. the LED's located on the toes and heels of each foot of the human body. This system provides additional and valuable information on what physical effects might be introduced to the human body in provocative motion environments.
Infrared Camera: Another important research tool is a FLIR Systems AGEMA (TM) infrared un-cooled camera. The camera can detect temperature changes of 0.1 degrees C up to a maximum temperature of 2,000 degrees C. The camera has many applications, and is used in motion studies as a means of objectively measuring motion sickness through subject pallor. The camera can be used for College of Engineering investigations in manufacturing and other engineering processes.
Baltimore Therapeutic Equipment Work Simulator: The Baltimore Therapeutic Equipment (BTE) work simulator can be configured to replicate many common tasks that might be found on ships and industrial environments, such as lifting, operating valves or other control devices. With its computer controlled resistance mechanism, and a full range of attachments, the BTE simulator eliminates the need for a roomful of task simulation equipment. The WindowsÆ based software objectively documents work effort and evaluation data. The BTE system can be placed inside the SMS cabin or on the 6DOF motion platform to study the effects of various motion environments on human task performance. In one research program at NBDL, the BTE system had been configured to simulate a fire-fighting task. A subject held a mock fire hose and attempted to maintain position during motion. The BTE served to simulate the force of water exiting the hose nozzle by applying a force to the “end” of the mock hose while measuring the change in effort required of the subject to maintain the fire fighting position.
Machine Shop: This comprehensive shop, located with the impact facility, contains a lathe, a horizontal milling machine, vertical milling machine, band saw, surface grinder, sandblaster, fixed and portable drill presses, and other power tools. Several of the machines are equipped with Accurite III electronic micrometers for precision machining. Special fixtures and test jigs are fabricated in the machine shop to support the experiments and maintenance of the test devices.
Welding Shop: This shop provides the capability for welding and flame cutting ferrous metals as well as an aluminum welding capability.
National Crash Survival Data Bank
The National Biodynamics Laboratory has processed and preserved recoverable impact and physiological data collected by the former Naval Biodynamics Laboratory. These data were acquired using human volunteer subjects and anthropomorphic manikins during some 5,000 linear (horizontal and vertical) indirect impact tests over a period of 22 years from 1974 to 1996. In addition, the laboratory has designed and built a relational database providing complete data accessibility. The National Crash Survival Data Bank (NCSDB) is housed permanently on a dedicated computer network providing convenient access. Test results in the database can be classified according to a number of factors including g-level or type of subject, and fall into four broad categories: kinematic (or motion-generated) data, physiological data, medical data (including scans of clinical, pre-and post-test examinations), and ancillary data. Ancillary data mainly supply technical information and serve a supporting role in the analysis of kinematic data. The data residing in the NCSDB are available to the scientific community at a reasonable cost.
Keywords:
acceleration
adaptation
aircraft
behavioral
biodynamic
bioengineering
biomechanics
biophysics
cognitive
crash testing
data acquisition
database
desensitization
engineering
human
human factors
impact
infrared camera
kinematic
machine shop
manikins
medical
modeling
motion sickness
National Crash Survival Data Bank
NCSDB
physiological
ship
ship motion
ship shock
simulation
simulator
task performance
vehicle
vibration