Biomechanical Evaluations & Airbag Safety Technologies

Date/Time
Date(s) - 08/26/2024
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Location
Communicore, C1-15

Sarah Sharpe, Ph.D., Principal in Biomechanics, Exponent

Biomechanical investigations have been used extensively in automotive litigation to evaluate occupant motion, loading mechanics, injury potential, and injury severity.  Vehicle safety technologies, such as belts and airbags, can act to modify occupant motion and loading characteristics. Knowledge of the interplay between crash dynamics, the human body, and restraint systems is necessary to evaluate injury claims. In this presentation, Dr. Sarah Sharpe will discuss biomechanical assessments used in vehicular accidents with a particular emphasis on frontal airbag technologies including their benefits and limitations as it relates to occupant motion and injury prevention.

Bio

Dr. Sharpe is an expert in the field of biomechanics, including human movement and coordination, occupant kinematics, injury mechanics, injury causation, and injury tolerance. She holds a Ph.D. in Bioengineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Central Florida. Dr. Sharpe is currently employed as a Principal in Exponent’s Biomechanics practice and works in the Tampa, Florida office. She has conducted and participated in numerous full-scale crash tests, automotive sled tests, and component-level tests using anthropomorphic test devices to measure and quantify occupant kinematics and loading in many different types and severities of automotive crashes.