Feasibility of using a novel instrumented human head surrogate to measure helmet, head and brain kinematics and intracranial pressure during multidirectional impact tests

Abstract

Objectives: Aim of the work is to present the feasibility of using an Instrumented Human Head Surrogate (IHHS-1) during multidirectional impacts while wearing a modern ski helmet. The IHHS-1 is intended to provide reliable and repeatable data for the experimental validation of FE models and for the experimental evaluation of modern helmets designed to enhance the degree of protection against multidirectional impacts.

Design: The new IHHS-1 includes 9 triaxial MEMS accelerometers embedded in a silicone rubber brain, independently molded and presenting lobes separation and cerebellum, placed into an ABS skull filled with surrogate cerebrospinal fluid. A triaxial MEMS gyroscope is placed at the brain center of mass. Intracranial pressure can be detected by eight pressure sensors applied to the skull internal surface along a transversal plane located at the brain center of mass and two at the apex. Additional MEMS sensors positioned over the skull and the helmet allow comparison between outer and inner structure kinematics and surrogate CSF pressure behavior.

Methods: The IHHS-1 was mounted through a Hybrid III neck on a force platform and impacted with a striker connected to a pendulum tower, with the impact energies reaching 24J. Impact locations were aligned with the brain center of mass and located in the back (sagittal axis), right (90° from sagittal axis), back/right (45°), and front right (135°) locations. Following dynamic data were collected: values of the linear accelerations and angular velocities of the brain, skull and helmet; intracranial pressures inside the skull.

Results: Despite the relatively low intensity of impacts (HIC at skull max value 46), the skull rotational actions reached BrIC values of 0.33 and angular accelerations of 5216rad/s², whereas brain angular acceleration resulted between 1,44 and 2,1 times lower with similar values of BrIC.

Conclusions: The IHHS-1 is a physical head surrogate that can produce repeatable data for the interpretation of inner structures behavior during multidirectional impacts with or without helmets of different characteristics.

Keywords: Accelerometers; Angular velocity; Helmet evaluation; Human head; Intracranial pressure; Surrogate.