Computer Simulation of Headrest Design Parameters and their Effect on Whiplash l njury Prevention

Although traditional headrests are common in most passenger automobiles, they have resulted in only a 20 -30% reduction in whiplash injuries (Nygren 1 985). In response to the limited effectiveness of traditional headrests, automobile manufactures have recently developed more advanced headrests and whiplash prevention mechanisms (Sigi 1 998, and Viano 1 993). The objective of this study was to develop a computer tool which can be used to provide design guidelines for whiplash prevention devices and evaluate the effectiveness of various approaches. Specifically a computer model of the cervical spine was developed, and a parametric study of headrest design parameters was performed, including headrest stiffness, damping, and initial head-headrest gap.