F1 Stuff... F1 crash test dummies... http://www.formula1.com/news/features/2011/7/12307.html
Maximum impact - the F1 accident reconstructed
From a mild slap to shunts beyond human endurance, this sled at the FIA Institute’s F1 Accident Reconstruction Facility reproduces Formula One accidents of every type and severity, to keep drivers safe
It is designed to recreate the forces involved in all major impacts in F1 and to measure their effect on the driver. The rig and chassis can handle impact forces of up to 100g, the equivalent of a race-car going from 100km/h to zero in one tenth of a second.
“That’s pretty severe for a sled facility of this type,” says the Institute’s Andy Mellor, who oversaw the design of this machine. It equates to five-times the g-loads experienced by Red Bull’s Mark Webber during his dramatic lift-off accident at the 2010 European Grand Prix in Valencia.
In other words, the facility can recreate impact conditions that stretch to the fastest and most devastating crashes in motor sport.
The chassis, which was donated, appropriately, by the Red Bull F1 team, can be positioned on the rig at any angle to replicate all conceivable front, side, or rear impacts. It enables FIA Institute researchers to measure accurately how well the safety systems are working and suggest improvements where necessary.
“When there’s an accident of particular interest,” says Mellor, “the FIA Institute can put a dummy in the chassis, reconstruct the crash ‘pulse’ from the accident, then measure the dummy loads to see how the whole system works. We can see exactly how things like the head rest, belts, HANS device and other systems all contribute to the safety of the driver.”
The crash-test dummy used in these tests is itself highly instrumented, having accelerometers and transducers located throughout its body.
much more at link
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