The SIMon (Simulated Injury Monitor) software package is being developed to advance the interpretation of injury mechanisms based on kinematic and kinetic data measured in the advanced anthropomorphic test dummy (AATD) and applying the measured dummy response to the human mathematical models imbedded in SIMon. The human finite element head model (FEHM) within the SIMon environment is presented in this paper. Three-dimensional head kinematic data in the form of either a nine accelerometer array or three linear CG head accelerations combined with three angular velocities serves as an input to the model. Three injury metrics are calculated: Cumulative strain damage measure (CSDM)-a correlate for diffuse axonal injury (DAI); Dilatational damage measure (DDM)-to estimate the potential for contusions; and Relative motion damage measure (RMDM)-a correlate for acute subdural hematoma (ASDH). During the development, the SIMon FEHM was tuned using cadaveric neutral density targets (NDT) data and further validated against the other available cadaveric NDT data and animal brain injury experiments. The hourglass control methods, integration schemes, mesh density, and contact stiffness penalty coefficient were parametrically altered to investigate their effect on the model's response. A set of numerical and physical parameters was established that allowed a satisfactory prediction of the motion of the brain with respect to the skull, when compared with the NDT data, and a proper separation of injury/no injury cases, when compared with the brain injury data. Critical limits for each brain injury metric were also established. Finally, the SIMon FEHM performance was compared against HIC15 through the use of NHTSA frontal and side impact crash test data. It was found that the injury metrics in the current SIMon model predicted injury in all cases where HIC15 was greater than 700 and several cases from the side impact test data where HIC15 was relatively small. Side impact was found to be potentially more injurious to the human brain than frontal impact due to the more severe rotational kinematics.

PURPOSE:The purpose of this systematic review was to identify and evaluate the use of prophylactic foam dressings for prevention of hospital-acquired pressure injuries (HAPIs). METHODS: A systematic review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items of Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis Statement (PRISMA). SEARCH STRATEGY: Four researchers independently conducted searches in Health Source, Cochrane of Systematic Reviews, CINAHL, and PubMed. Search terms included: "pressure* OR skin breakdown AND sacrum*"; "ICU patient* OR critical care patient*"; and "foam dressing OR prophylactic* or prevent*." FINDINGS: The search identifi ed 380 articles; 14 met eligibility criteria. The methodological quality of the included studies was variable. Findings from all studies included in our review support a decrease in HAPI incidence with use of sacral foam dressings. IMPLICATIONS: Findings from this review suggest that prophylactic foam dressings decrease sacral HAPI occurrences in critical care patients. While additional research is needed, current best evidence supports use of prophylactic foam sacral dressings for patients at risk for HAPI.

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Numerous applications of electrotextiles and flexible circuits have been identified that can advance systems performance for many commercial, military, and aerospace devices. Several novel uses of electrotextiles have been developed for lab testing, while others have been utilized in products on the commercial market, as well as items that have flown in space. ILC Dover, Inc. has utilized conductive fibers in various inflatable and tensile structures for signal transmission and electrostatic charge protection. Conductive and pressure sensitive textiles have been incorporated in the advanced development space suit (I-Suit) as switch controls for lights and rovers, and as signal transmission cables. Conductive fibers have been used in several stitched applications for electrostatic charge dissipation. These applications include large pharmaceutical containment enclosures where fine potent powders are being captured for transfer between manufacturing facilities, as well as impact attenuation airbags used in landing spacecraft on the surface of Mars. In both cases, conductive threads are uniquely located in seams and panel locations to gather and direct charge through surface fibers and panel interconnects. Conductive fibers have also been utilized in a conformal Sensate Liner garment for the identification of wound locations and medical sensor signal transmission for soldier health monitoring while on the battlefield. The performance challenges of these structures require a careful, systematic application of electrotextiles because of the flexing, straining, and exposure of the materials to harsh environments. ILC has also been developing “gossamer” spacecraft components utilizing unique materials and multi-functional structures to achieve extremely low mass and low launch volumes. Examples of large deployable structures featuring very thin, large flexible circuits for use in space include synthetic aperture radar (SAR) antennas, communications antenna reflectarrays, and active variable reflectance solar sails. Design and materials challenges of electrotextile and large-area flexible circuit membrane structures as demonstrated in engineered applications will be discussed in this paper.

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The Space Systems Lab has evaluated several different types of generic hand controllers to see which performs the best when used by a suited subject. This paper outlines the types of hand controllers selected for this experiment and the results of the performance testing. The evaluation was conducted by subjects wearing spacesuit gloves in a partial pressure glovebox at a pressure differential of 4.3 pounds/square inch. Performance for each hand controller was measured by the completion of several one degree-of-freedom (DOF) tasks presented to the subject on a computer screen. Performance metrics for this experiment included the error associated with attempting to follow an ideal trajectory and a subjective Cooper-Harper questionnaire given after each session was complete. The same information was also collected for unpressurized suit gloves and for the bare hand.