IPEMS Phase 1 is Complete!

As regular Measurement Technology NW followers may know, back in November 2008 MTNW and a group that included Midwest Research Institute, Boston Dynamics, Smith Carter CUH2A, and HHI Corporation were chosen by the US Army to design and build “IPEMS” (Individual Protection Ensemble Mannequin System). This project includes state-of-the-art chemical testing facilities and a first-of-its-kind robotic thermal mannequin to perform high-resolution testing of protective clothing and equipment under live chemical exposure conditions. The IPEMS mannequin will be a freestanding, self-balancing robot that will simulate human physiology for realistic tests of protective equipment in a controlled environment.

Measurement Technology NW’s role is to develop IPEMS’s skin surface segments and thermal control systems, while other partnering companies developed the robotic mannequin’s internal structure. Integrating full-function thermal, perspiration, and chemical sensing controls into a 50th percentile body form, while also fitting it over an internal robotic structure capable of ranges of movement far beyond that of existing mannequin systems, presented some significant challenges. Adding more complexity to this challenge was the need for sealed skin surfaces and joints to prevent chemical agent contamination, while still allowing internal access for service and repairs.

The IPEMS mannequin design that emerged from Phase 1 – the design phase – included a body surface segmented into 17 separate hard-shell regions (14 independent thermal zones), each with sweating capability and chemical sensing ports. Overall, Phase 1 was a successful effort. Phase 2 – the fabrication phase – will include first-article build up of a mannequin shell region and joint sleeve. After decontamination testing and safety/operational procedures are finalized, work will begin on building the first IPEMS mannequin.

Tags: Boston Dynamics, IPEMS, thermal manikin, thermal mannequin, Thermal Measurement, thermal testing

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 15th, 2010 at 2:44 pm and is filed under Thermal Measurement. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

NEMO Gets His 15 Minutes of Fame

NEMO, our submersible thermal manikin system, doesn’t make the headlines very often. After all, a true-weight cast aluminum sweating thermal manikin that is designed to operate underwater at depths of up to 10 feet (3 meters) is a rather specialized piece of equipment built to fulfill a unique set of research needs. Nevertheless, NEMO is in the news this week thanks to a new installation at Japan’s Ministry of Defense.

Ministry researchers had been try to secure funding for NEMO since 2006, but after years of negotiations things came together quickly in late 2009 and, by February 15th, we had an order in-hand along with an extremely challenging delivery date. Because of government procurement regulations associated with the end of Japan’s fiscal year, MTNW engineers had to design, build, test, and ship a custom 50th percentile (Japanese Male) sweating NEMO system in less than 14 weeks!

I’m not kidding when I say that our Japanese agents (IDS) and the whole MTNW team went into overdrive on this project. Thanks to everyone’s efforts we successfully met the deadline and last week’s installation went very smoothly. Now the customer is happy, our agent is happy, and we’re happy. Dazed and more than a little bit tired… but happy.

Tags: Nemo, thermal, thermal manikin, thermal mannequin, Thermal Measurement, thermal testing

This entry was posted on Monday, May 24th, 2010 at 2:12 pm and is filed under Thermal Measurement. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

Automotive HVAC Manikin Testing System

Remember a few months ago when I mentioned that MTNW engineers love custom projects? Here’s a good example that shows our Newton manikin system re-purposed to serve (quite well I might add) as a sophisticated, repeatable tool for car/truck/transit HVAC comfort research.

This non-thermal manikin system features our popular 50th percentile Western or Asian male body form along with the addition of high-accuracy surface-mounted sensors to evaluate the environmental comfort conditions of automotive passenger cabins.

An integrated matrix of sensors measures air velocity, air temperature, radiant heat flux, and relative humidity. Wireless communication capability is included, and each manikin separates into upper and lower halves at the waist for easy insertion into a variety of vehicles. Newton is a fully jointed manikin, and this model is built with shoulder joints that allow the manikin’s elbows to move in or out from the torso, reflecting a range of typical driver positions.

Mitten-shaped manikin hands in a curved, gripping shape allow for easy positioning of the hands onto the vehicle steering wheel. Their shape does not impact air movement, but permits airflow similar to that of a human grip/fist. Thigh backs are flattened to simulate seat compression, for more realistic airflow patterns.

The ambient sensor matrix includes:

60 – Custom airflow/velocity/temperature sensors, developed by MTNW for this specific application. Protective caps are included for use during vehicle installation or storage. Measurement range:

• -20°C to +70°C
• +/- 1.0°C calibrated accuracy
• +/- 0.1°C resolution
• Airflow rates: 0.1-5.0 M/sec
• Temperature compensated from -20°C to +70°C

30 – Thermal radiation sensors, each mounted in a protective recess with the sensor at skin level. Measurement range is from near zero to >3,000 W/m², 1-20 um wavelength.

5 – Relative humidity sensors, 0 to 95% RH, non-condensing.

Interested in having one or two, or four of your own? No problem – we can build more!

Tags: thermal, thermal manikin, thermal mannequin, Thermal Measurement

This entry was posted on Friday, April 2nd, 2010 at 8:51 pm and is filed under Thermal Measurement. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

8I3M: The deadline for Abstract Submissions has been extended to March 15th

The 8th International Meeting for Manikins and Modeling (8I3M) is the primary forum for international experts on the science of human thermal comfort to present and discuss current and future challenges, opportunities, and the requirements of next-generation protective clothing, high-performance sport apparel, and environmental comfort research. Abstracts and papers are invited on a broad spectrum of topics, including:

• Thermal manikin applications including aerospace, automotive, clothing, commercial, industrial and military
• Human thermal physiology and mathematical models
• New or updated manikin, modeling and testing standards
• Thermal manikin developments, including breathing, sweating, and walking systems
• Environmental comfort research and human interaction
• Flame and Chemical exposure tests
• Body part manikins
• Virtual manikins
• Validation / Correlation studies

Authors are invited to submit research abstracts (300 to 500 words in length) for consideration at 8I3M. Abstracts should be submitted as soon as possible. A sampling of those received to-date include:

• Evaporative Resistance and Thermal Insulation of Clothing under Different Posture Positions
• Numerical Simulation Study on the Heat Loss from a Thermal Foot Manikin
• Protective Clothing Design Effects on Ensemble Biophysics and Predicted Human Thermal Responses
• Using Operational Models to Predict Performance of New Concepts in (CBRN) Personal Protective Systems

Visit the official 8I3M website: www.i3mmeeting.com for the conference schedule, registration forms, research paper submission forms, information on lodging at Victoria’s luxurious Hotel Grand Pacific, and upcoming conference deadlines. Don’t miss this opportunity to be a part of the year’s most important venue for the advancement of human thermal comfort research.

Tags: 8I3M, thermal manikin, thermal mannequin, Thermal Measurement, thermal testing

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010 at 7:01 pm and is filed under Thermal Measurement. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

New Year’s Resolutions

With the beginning of a new year comes New Year’s resolutions, and for all our sweating manikin operators we heartily recommend making the resolution to pay more attention to your manikin’s fluid circulation system. Towards that goal I have re-posted a service bulletin from a few years ago that describes the maintenance procedures our engineers have developed for the proper care of our sweating manikins – including Newton (all models) and the Thermal Hand, Thermal Foot, and Thermal Head systems. Note: The procedures shown below apply only to MTNW manikins using removable wicking fabric skins. For manikins with MTNW’s porous metal sweating skin surfaces, please contact MTNW for maintenance information specific to these systems.

MTNW Service Bulletin

Sweating Manikin Fluid System Storage and Flushing Procedures

Long-term storage of water systems, even with high purity water, can result in bacterial growth and a resulting biofilm on all wetted surfaces. Studies have demonstrated significant bacterial activity within 7 days in a high-purity closed system. The large number of variables affecting this phenomenon, including supply water purity, existing bacterial content of water system, ambient temperature, and wetted materials, can make each location unique.

MTNW’s sweating manikin systems meet many of the criteria for promoting bacterial growth. The sealed design of MTNW’s fluid system does not permit reliable purging of the internal tubes, so the system remains wetted throughout its service life. The flowrates are low and often stagnant during non-sweating operation. Water recirculates through the system, so any bacterial content developed in the manikin tubes gets returned to the reservoir. Adding more high-purity water to the reservoir does not eliminate any existing biological activity.

The maintenance procedures outlined below are intended to minimize/reduce bacterial growth, and also offer a shock treatment to systems for periodic cleaning. NOTE: All supply water should be deionized or distilled high purity water.

If you will be USING the manikin sweating system AT LEAST ONCE PER WEEK:

1. Fully drain and rinse out the manikin fluid reservoir with supply water
2. Refill reservoir with supply water
3. Unplug recirculation (black) tube from reservoir and route it to a drain or collection bucket
4. Turn on the fluid pump and allow it to run for 10 minutes to purge the old water from the system
5. Top off the reservoir and resume testing

If you will be STORING the manikin or not operating the fluid system (re: non-sweating tests) for MORE THAN ONE WEEK:

1. Remove the wicking fabric sweating suit
2. Add 5 liters of supply water to empty reservoir
3. Add 1 ml of unscented household bleach and shake the reservoir to mix and coat the inside surfaces (this will result in approximately 10 PPM sodium hypochlorite solution)
4. With the manikin tubing fully connected, turn on the fluid pump and allow it to run for 10 minutes, recirculating this solution through the closed system.
5. Set all the manikin sweat rates to 2000 ml/hr/m2, and allow the system to sweat for 10 minutes.
6. The system can now be stored for up to 2 months containing this solution
7. Prior to running sweating tests, repeat this procedure with fresh supply water to purge chlorine from the system

Every TWO MONTHS as preventative maintenance or as a special one-time shock treatment after storage:

1. Very important – Long-term exposure to sodium hypochlorite can degrade internal manikin system components. Do not allow bleach solution to remain inside the manikin system for more then 10 minutes.
2. Caution – This process uses bleach with a concentration which could possibly discolor fabrics or cause staining. Use colorfast or white absorbent pad and towels for this procedure. Wear eye protection.
3. Remove the wicking fabric sweating suit and place an absorbent pad beneath manikin to catch runoff
4. Add 5 liters of supply water to empty reservoir
5. Add 100 ml of unscented household bleach and shake the reservoir to mix and coat the inside surfaces (this will result in approximately 1000 PPM sodium hypochlorite solution)
6. With the manikin tubing fully connected, turn on the fluid pump and allow it to run for 5 minutes, recirculating this solution through the closed system.
7. Set all the manikin sweat rates to 2000 ml/hr/m2, and allow the system to sweat for 5 minutes.
8. Set sweat rates back to 0 ml/hr/m2 and quickly blot the manikin dry with a colorfast cloth and turn off fluid pump
9. Immediately drain and rinse reservoir, and refill with clean supply water
10. Unplug recirculation (black) tube from reservoir and route it to a drain or collection bucket
11. Turn on the fluid pump and allow it to run for 5 minutes to purge the system
12. Set all the manikin sweat rates to 2000 ml/hr/m2, and allow the system to sweat for 5 minutes.
13. Set sweat rates back to 0 and blot manikin dry with colorfast cloth
14. Allow the pump to run for an additional 10 minutes, flushing water out the recirculation (black) tube.
15. Begin using the manikin for sweating tests within one week, or follow the previously mentioned storage procedure

Tags: sweating manikin, sweating mannequin, thermal, thermal hand systems, thermal manikin, thermal mannequin, Thermal Measurement, thermal testing

This entry was posted on Friday, January 15th, 2010 at 8:53 pm and is filed under Thermal Measurement. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

New Simon Thermal Manikin for Sleeping Bag Tests

Allow me to introduce “Simon” – Measurement Technology NW’s new 13-zone thermal manikin. Our European friends may call him a thermal mannequin or thermal dummy, but, regardless of the name, what Simon excels at is sleeping bag testing. Simon isn’t shown on our website yet (a situation we’ll be correcting shortly), so let me tell you a little about this newest addition to the MTNW thermal manikin lineup.

The Simon thermal manikin system was developed for sleeping bag and environmental testing. The manikin is based on our popular 50th percentile Western Male body form but is jointed at the hips and shoulders only. Reduced joint complexity as well as the use of simplified hands and feet, minimize production headaches and help lower the price too. No walking motion stand is available for Simon, but a hidden hanging hook is located at the top of his head to provide an attachment point for support, whenever needed.

Our first Simon was delivered to Kansas State University, where he is currently hard at work doing what he does best – sleeping!

Tags: Simon, Sleeping Bag Tests, thermal manikin, thermal mannequin, Thermal Measurement, thermal testing

This entry was posted on Wednesday, November 4th, 2009 at 4:15 pm and is filed under Thermal Measurement. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

We ♥ Custom Projects

We recently heard from a lab that was testing a hand warming (glove) system for military use that could be worn in water or on other cold-weather operations. They needed to know if our thermal hand manikin could be customized for submersion testing in a cold water test tank, since their current testing methods utilized human subjects and they were having trouble getting repeatable results.

Our engineers love custom projects, and for this application they envisioned a waterproof thermal hand system where the hand form was attached to a sealed control enclosure box not much bigger than the manikin’s forearm diameter. Exiting this box would be one or two cables for power and serial communications. In use, the glove being tested would be placed on the hand, and the whole assembly – manikin and control enclosure box – would be immersed in the test tank with cables exiting the water and connecting to the system’s power enclosure and laptop computer.

No word yet if we’ll have the chance to build this device, but I mention it as an example of our interest in custom projects. If you’ve got a project or know of a project that falls outside the standard range of thermal testing equipment – let us know. MTNW got its start back in 1986 creating customized thermal systems, and we still look forward to those opportunities that either push the envelope or lead us in new directions.

Tags: thermal, thermal hand systems, thermal manikin, thermal mannequin, Thermal Measurement, thermal testing

This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 21st, 2009 at 7:44 pm and is filed under Thermal Measurement. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.