This work is based on a current project funded by the United States Army Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program and is being conducted with the Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) Ground Systems Survivability (GSS) Team and Paradigm Research and Engineering. The focus of this project is to develop an advanced and novel sensing and activation strategy for Pyrotechnic Restraint Systems, Air Bags and other systems that may require activation. The overriding technical challenge is to activate these systems to effectively protect the Soldier during blast events in addition to Crash, Rollover and Other Injury Causing events. These activations of Pyrotechnic systems must occur in fractions of milliseconds as compared to typical automotive crashes. By investigating systems outside of typical accelerometer based applications and activations, the potential exists to exploit systems that require little power, are self-contained and provide the required output for the desired result. As such Constant-Flux Magnetostrictive Sensors shall be evaluated in a self-contained environment to provide the output during these events. By activating the Pyrotechnic Restraint Systems and Air Bag Systems early in Blast Events, the systems can Restrain the Occupant and provide flail protection from surfaces within the vehicle. As the system is developed various test scenarios will be introduced to activate these systems and design a robust sensing and activating strategy.

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Applications of a constant flux magnetostrictive impact sensor as an engine mount energy harvester and side impact sensor are presented and their operation is discussed. An optimization method is developed and appropriate objective functions are created for each application. Optimization results are presented including a power output increase of the engine mount energy harvester of 65% and a decrease in response time of the side impact sensor to impact events while also decreasing sensor output to non-impact events.

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A constant flux magnetostrictive impact sensor is presented along with a discussion of prior applications and previous work on modeling of magnetostrictive sensors. A constant flux magnetostrictive impact sensor, which uses a permanent magnet, is modeled and the system in which it operates is overviewed. A detailed analytical model of the operation of the constant flux magnetostrictive impact sensor is developed. Prototype sensors were tested in both dynamic gap and magnetostrictive modes of operation. The model is validated through comparison of modeling and experimental results.