Abstract: An apparatus and method for assessing a hazard associated with an object are disclosed. The apparatus includes a haptic input/output device coupled to a computer with haptic modeling software and a display device. A virtual object and a virtual passageway are displayed on the display device. The virtual passageway includes a haptic layer along a surface thereof. Force applied by a user to the haptic input/output device causes a cursor on the display device to move the virtual object into the virtual passageway. An interaction of the virtual object with the haptic layer generates a virtual contact force which may be determined by the user sensing a corresponding tactile feedback force generated by the haptic input/output device and/or by the computer processor. The magnitude of the virtual contact force may be used to assess a hazard associated with the virtual object.

Abstract: A method and system is provided to access one or more historical incident databases, for example, CDC, CPSC, DTI, AAPCC and the like, for standardizing the potentially differing categories and coding among the databases. The standardizing includes recoding of the categories by providing a unified set of categories reflective of similar categories found among the one or more databases, if any. Submission of search queries allows users to obtain unified data across the databases so that incident history statistics for one or more products tracked by commonly available databases may be easily acquired. The resulting reports and statistics may be used by various entities to understand historical incidents from multiple perspectives including, for example, injury and fatality statistics as a function of age group, type of injury, time periods, diagnosis, injury outcome, severity, and the like. Data may be presented in standardized formats or in any of the native database formats.

Abstract: A method and system is provided to access one or more historical incident databases, for example, CDC, CPSC, DTI, AAPCC and the like, for standardizing the potentially differing categories and coding among the databases. The standardizing includes recoding of the categories by providing a unified set of categories reflective of similar categories found among the one or more databases, if any. Submission of search queries allows users to obtain unified data across the databases so that incident history statistics for one or more products tracked by commonly available databases may be easily acquired. The resulting reports and statistics may be used by various entities to understand historical incidents from multiple perspectives including, for example, injury and fatality statistics as a function of age group, type of injury, time periods, diagnosis, injury outcome, severity, and the like. Data may be presented in standardized formats or in any of the native database formats.

Abstract: A method and system is provided to uniformly evaluate product characteristics and identifying risk factors associated with the products so that a comprehensive scoring system provides an attractiveness score by age brackets and also provides for a consistent quantification process so that an overall characterization may be viewed by a color coded scoring scheme. The scoring system is based on predetermined scores created for age brackets and pre-identified product attributes. Through user feedback a new product may be evaluated using a series of questions that are associated with the predetermined scores producing an overall attractiveness score. Through another set of questions and predetermined mitigation scores, a mitigations score may be developed for the product so that by combining the attractiveness score with the mitigation score and comprehensive product score may be produced indicative of risk.

Abstract: A method and system is provided to access one or more historical incident databases, for example, CDC, CPSC, DTI, AAPCC and the like, for standardizing the potentially differing categories and coding among the databases. The standardizing includes recoding of the categories by providing a unified set of categories reflective of similar categories found among the one or more databases, if any. Submission of search queries allows users to obtain unified data across the databases so that incident history statistics for one or more products tracked by commonly available databases may be easily acquired. The resulting reports and statistics may be used by various entities to understand historical incidents from multiple perspectives including, for example, injury and fatality statistics as a function of age group, type of injury, time periods, diagnosis, injury outcome, severity, and the like. Data may be presented in standardized formats or in any of the native database formats.

Abstract: A manikin system is provided for testing product safety, and a method of making the manikin system is also provided. The manikin system includes a trunk portion and a plurality of body portions. The plurality of body portions includes a neck portion detachably connected to the trunk portion, a pair of arm portions detachably connected to the trunk portion, a hand portion detachably connected to each arm portion, a pair of leg portions detachably connected to the trunk portion, and a foot portion detachably connected to each leg portion. The body portions and trunk portion are formed of a bio-simulating material. Each of the body portions has selected characteristics and is removable and replaceable with another body portion having different characteristics. The manikin may provide accurate measurement of physical effects of hazardous conditions on a child and flexible and offer flexibility to change manikin test fixtures easily.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for simulating and monitoring a respiration pattern of a human. The apparatus generally includes a reservoir having an outlet, and actuator disposed in the reservoir for moving fluid in and out of the reservoir, and a control unit coupled to the actuator for controlling the actuator to simulate and monitor a respiration pattern of a human. Also, a method is provided for simulating and monitoring a respiration pattern of a human. The method includes steps of generating a waveform defining the respiration pattern and controlling an actuator to move fluid in and out of a reservoir based on the waveform. The apparatus and method can accurately simulate and monitor a respiration pattern of a human, especially an infant and a young child, and offer a flexibility to stimulate variety of respiration patterns.

Abstract: A method of analyzing force on a surface is described including providing a pressure-sensitive medium, applying the force to the medium, determining any change in the medium as a result of the applied force, correlating the change in the medium with a pressure value, and analyzing the force value. The pressure-sensitive film may be scanned, each shade or color on the film assigned a pixel value corresponding with pressure values, and the total pixel area values measured to determine pressure characteristics, such as average pressure or total pressure area.