News - headrestraint.org

[Knestis]

I wanted to share this here first, since much of the concept was developed out of conversations on this board.

I've started headrestraint.org to share information about motorsports head and neck restraint systems. This effort is based on belief that...

"...head and neck restraint systems offer valuable, measurable protection from injuries commonly associated with impacts resulting from racing incidents, to the degree that all racers should choose to use such a system. However, we believe that considerations are too complex - and consequences too important - to undermine personal choice through simple mandates imposed by sanctioning bodies or insurers. That ultimately, the long term best interests of racing consumers, the motorsports community, and the head and neck restraint market are best served by the dissemination of information that allows individuals to exercise informed control over their own safety decisions."

There is lots more at http://www.headrestraint.org but there are a few things you might consider doing if you are interested in issues relating to head and neck restraint systems, different solutions offered in the marketplace, or rules pertaining to their use:

** Consider applying for a position on the charter advisory commmittee

** If you have a friendly relationship with an H&N system manufacturer, encourage them to provide us with product information - particularly test data

** Support headrestraint.org with a financial contribution - by PayPal to [email protected] or email that same address for more info

** Most importantly, share the headrestraint.org link at other motorsports boards and with people who share your interests in these issues

Kirk

[snk328is]

I think this is a great idea. I posted it on the BMW CCA Club Racing mailing list because I didn't see that anybody had posted anything about it yet.

I hope that this can turn into something like the Snell Foundation in the near future...

Good luck with it!

[Daryl DeArman]

THANK YOU Kirk!

[Knestis]

It's a little different mission than that of Snell or SFI, with a different approach.

Both have defined test benchmarks that define what is "OK" and what is "Not OK." The headrestraint.org approach is to serve as a clearinghouse for information - including (we hope) mechanical test data - and let consumers decide for themselves what is acceptable.

This grows from the reality that an SFI-type test define just ONE set of parameters, out of an impossibly huge number that might occur in the real world. The net result is that products may be designed to pass one set of narrow test conditions, and an otherwise sound design that would provide protection might "fail" it.

This also takes "dealing" among manufacturers, insurers, and sanctioning bodies - or the appearance thereof, which is just as bad - off of the table.

I'm reminded of a meeting that I went to at SEMA a bunch of years ago, where industry folks were going to try to write a performance standard for fire systems. There were two Halon options at the time (1301 and 1211), which behaved somewhat differently, and most system manufacturers were wedded to one or the other...

After some conversation, I suggested that it was going to be impossible to define a test for a "minimum standard" unless it could be met by systems using both reagents: Any that favored one or the other would be politically untenable and one that neither could pass would be really silly.

It would have been far more useful to have done some testing in various conditions, car types, etc., and diseminated the findings so racers could pick the reagent and system that made sense for them.

K

[gsbaker]

Excellent idea.

Originally posted by Knestis:
...If you have a friendly relationship with an H&N system manufacturer, encourage them to provide us with product information - particularly test data...

Not a problem. None whatsoever. We will provide everything for every test ever conducted on every Isaac design--even those that did not work.

Dumping this much data on the public may be counterproductive, so I assume it will be summarized in some form. Nevertheless, we will provide it unconditionally.

------------------
Gregg Baker, P.E.
Isaac, LLC
http://www.isaacdirect.com

[Knestis]

Gregg makes a good point - that one challenge of this project will be arriving at a way to turn lots of data into some meaningful form. We are interested in guidance from manufacturers and input from consumers, so we can make connections between them.

K

[gsbaker]

Kirk,

The performance measures you are looking for can be found in the research literature. A good example is SAE paper #2002-01-3304.

Far and away, the single most important measure is upper neck "F-sub-z". This measures the force along the axis of the neck at the neck-head junction, and is what pops your head off and puts out the lights.

There are many other forces measured in a crash test, and a handful are valuable for your purposes, but F-sub-z is #1.

------------------
Gregg Baker, P.E.
Isaac, LLC
http://www.isaacdirect.com

[Daryl DeArman]

Kirk,

I have a paper version of SAE 2002-01-3304 if you want it and don't want to purchase it, I'd be glad to mail/fax it to you, no scanner.

[This message has been edited by Daryl DeArman (edited July 27, 2005).]

[This message has been edited by Daryl DeArman (edited July 27, 2005).]

[gsbaker]

The only update to that paper is that the use of HIC (Head Injury Criteria) seems to be fadding in favor of Nij values.

This is really over-the-top, super-dork stuff. Don't worry about it. It bores even a dork like me.

------------------
Gregg Baker, P.E.
Isaac, LLC
http://www.isaacdirect.com

[Knestis]

I'm very pleased to be able to announce that headrestraint.org has, as of today, received $100 in confidential financial support. This will help cover the costs of establishing the initiative as a registered not-for-profit entity.

Kirk

[JamesB]

Congradulations! runing an FP or NFP is still a bear as a PT job I am learning all too well on that note.

[gsbaker]

That's a start. Once the word gets out you'll have to hire an accountant to keep track of the funds!

[Edit: gotta love the new smilies]

------------------
Gregg Baker, P.E.
Isaac, LLC
http://www.isaacdirect.com

[vwmann1]

Kirk
Thanks for taking the lead on this. It will help those of us that have had a change of heart this week make a proper informed decision.

------------------
Doug Hillmann
vfc-engineering.com

[Knestis]

Someone asked me what "confidential" support means...

I do survey research - among other silly things - so I make the distinction between "Kirk knows who gave the money but is respecting their right to have their identities not be publicized" (confidential), and "Even Kirk doesn't know the giver's identity" (anonymous).

This might make it a little difficult to PROVE that we don't accept financial support for headrestraint.org from people with commercial interests in our work, but we don't - and it's important enough to honor donors' wishes that we accept that challenge.

We do have PayPal up and running to accept donations, at [email protected], so we are making slow headway on plans.

Thanks again for your interest and enthusiasm.

K

[This message has been edited by Knestis (edited August 05, 2005).]

[MadFrog]

Originally posted by Knestis@Aug 5 2005, 09:32 PM
Someone asked me what "confidential" support means...

I do survey research - among other silly things - so I make the distinction between "Kirk knows who gave the money but is respecting their right to have their identities not be publicized" (confidential), and "Even Kirk doesn't know the giver's identity" (anonymous).

This might make it a little difficult to PROVE that we don't accept financial support for headrestraint.org from people with commercial interests in our work, but we don't - and it's important enough to honor donors' wishes that we accept that challenge.

We do have PayPal up and running to accept donations, at [email protected], so we are making slow headway on plans.

Thanks again for your interest and enthusiasm.

K

[This message has been edited by Knestis (edited August 05, 2005).]

[snapback]32346[/snapback]

We know the information will be flowing out of Isaac, I have to wonder if Hans will be as forthcoming...