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.
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on Thursday, July 15th, 2010 at 2:44 pm and is filed under Thermal Measurement.
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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.
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on Monday, May 24th, 2010 at 2:12 pm and is filed under Thermal Measurement.
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If you’re ever in the neighborhood…
Fisherman's Terminal
Fisherman’s Terminal (located on Salmon Bay in the Interbay neighborhood of Seattle, Washington, just east of the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks and immediately west of the Ballard Bridge) was officially established in 1914 by the Port of Seattle as the home port for the North Pacific Fishing Fleet – which nowadays includes some of the vessels featured on the Discovery Channel show The Deadliest Catch.
The facility provides safe, freshwater mooring for fishing vessels and pleasure craft up to 250 feet (76.2 m) in length. Preference is given to commercial fishing vessels, and at any given time, more than 600 boats call it home. Local residents and visitors can often buy fresh salmon, halibut, cod, or crab directly from boats newly arrived from the Gulf of Alaska. The facility is also the center of a busy commercial district with shops, restaurants, banks, and other marine businesses.
Located just up the hill from this nearly century-old maritime center is Measurement Technology NW. At only 24 years old we’re a relative youngster in these parts, but everyone working here loves seafood, so, in a way, you could say we fit right in. And MTNW customers who have made the trip to our offices know that a truly great seafood restaurant (Chinook’s, at Fisherman’s Terminal) is just a short stroll away.
If you have a thermal comfort project you’d like to discuss, come on by – we’ll do lunch!
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on Monday, March 15th, 2010 at 8:14 pm and is filed under Thermal Measurement.
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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.
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on Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010 at 7:01 pm and is filed under Thermal Measurement.
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NEW – Stored Energy Test Device and ASTM Standard
Measurement Technology NW’s new Stored Energy Test (SET) Device is designed to measure both transmitted and stored heat energy in firefighter protective clothing material systems under a specific set of exposure conditions. In real life, the combination of transmitted and stored heat within protective textiles and composites has been found to be sufficient to cause burn injuries under certain circumstances, and this new device is intended to replicate and measure these conditions.
In this new test device, a horizontally or vertically positioned fabric specimen is exposed to a radiant heat source (producing an energy output similar to the spectral density of a structural fire) for a fixed period of time. During exposure a data collection sensor, positioned above the innermost surface of the test sample, measures the heat energy transmitted through the fabric. At the end of the exposure time, the fabric specimen is then compressed against the data collection sensor, which continues to measure the heat energy stored within the sample – as per the recently-approved ASTM standard: ASTM F2731 Standard Test Method for Measuring the Transmitted and Stored Energy of Firefighter Protective Clothing Systems. The total energy transmitted and stored by the fabric specimen is used to predict whether a second degree burn injury will occur. If a second degree burn injury is predicted, the time to a second degree burn injury is reported.
MTNW’s exclusive Stored Energy Test Device includes a radiant heat source, specimen holder, sensor assembly, transfer tray with water-cooled carriage, pneumatically-actuated compressor assembly, data acquisition/control system, and PC with burn damage analysis software. You know you want one, so give us a call for more details and a price quote.
This entry was posted
on Monday, February 8th, 2010 at 5:27 pm and is filed under Thermal Measurement.
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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:
Fully drain and rinse out the manikin fluid reservoir with supply water
Refill reservoir with supply water
Unplug recirculation (black) tube from reservoir and route it to a drain or collection bucket
Turn on the fluid pump and allow it to run for 10 minutes to purge the old water from the system
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:
Remove the wicking fabric sweating suit
Add 5 liters of supply water to empty reservoir
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)
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.
Set all the manikin sweat rates to 2000 ml/hr/m2, and allow the system to sweat for 10 minutes.
The system can now be stored for up to 2 months containing this solution
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:
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.
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.
Remove the wicking fabric sweating suit and place an absorbent pad beneath manikin to catch runoff
Add 5 liters of supply water to empty reservoir
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)
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.
Set all the manikin sweat rates to 2000 ml/hr/m2, and allow the system to sweat for 5 minutes.
Set sweat rates back to 0 ml/hr/m2 and quickly blot the manikin dry with a colorfast cloth and turn off fluid pump
Immediately drain and rinse reservoir, and refill with clean supply water
Unplug recirculation (black) tube from reservoir and route it to a drain or collection bucket
Turn on the fluid pump and allow it to run for 5 minutes to purge the system
Set all the manikin sweat rates to 2000 ml/hr/m2, and allow the system to sweat for 5 minutes.
Set sweat rates back to 0 and blot manikin dry with colorfast cloth
Allow the pump to run for an additional 10 minutes, flushing water out the recirculation (black) tube.
Begin using the manikin for sweating tests within one week, or follow the previously mentioned storage procedure
This entry was posted
on Friday, January 15th, 2010 at 8:53 pm and is filed under Thermal Measurement.
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8I3M Conference Registration Now Open!
As mentioned in an earlier posting, Measurement Technology NW and Canada’s Sport Innovation (SPIN) Centre are sponsoring next year’s 8I3M Conference (8th International Meeting for Manikins & Modeling). The location is beautiful Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, and the dates are August 22-26, 2010.
The SPIN Centre is home to Canadian Sport Centre Pacific, and both are located at the new Pacific Institute for Sport Excellence (PISE). We will be holding all 8I3M sessions there. The Pacific Institute for Sport Excellence is an 80,000 sq/ft cutting-edge facility dedicated to the advancement of high performance sport, fitness education, and community awareness programs.
But the big news is that your official 8I3M website: www.i3mmeeting.com is now complete! Both the conference registration form and research paper submission form are now posted and available for downloading. A block of rooms have been reserved for 8I3M conference attendees at Victoria’s Hotel Grand Pacific, and the pre-conference registration period is underway. Attendees are encouraged to take advantage of the conference discount ($100) available to early registrants.
So log on, sign up, and begin preparing your presentations for 8I3M. All of us at Measurement Technology NW and the SPIN Centre look forward to being of service in the weeks and months ahead.
This entry was posted
on Monday, December 7th, 2009 at 7:24 pm and is filed under Thermal Measurement.
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Measurement Technology NW and the US Army “IPEMS” Project
In November 2008, Measurement Technology NW and a group that included Midwest Research Institute, Boston Dynamics, Smith Carter CUH2A, and HHI Corporation, was selected by the US Army to design and build the “IPEMS” project (Individual Protective Ensemble Manikin System), including state-of-the-art chemical testing facilities and a first-of-its-kind robotic thermal manikin system for performing high-resolution testing of protective clothing and equipment under live chemical exposure conditions.
The IPEMS manikin will be a free-standing, self-balancing robotic manikin that simulates human physiology for realistic tests of protective equipment in a controlled environment. The manikin will balance itself and move freely – walking, aiming, crawling and doing a variety of suit-stressing calisthenics.
The IPEMS manikin will also simulate human physiology within the protective suit, controlling temperature and humidity, sweating when necessary, to provide realistic and thorough testing.
Measurement Technology NW is responsible for IPEMS’s skin surface and thermal control systems. Boston Dynamics will handle the robotic manikin internal design and fabrication. Smith Carter CUH2A will be responsible for the Containment Chamber design, and HHI Corporation is responsible for Exposure Chamber construction and installation. Midwest Research Institute (MRI) is the project’s prime contractor and overall systems integrator. Project completion (estimated) in 2011.
This entry was posted
on Monday, November 23rd, 2009 at 2:53 pm and is filed under Thermal Measurement.
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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!
This entry was posted
on Wednesday, November 4th, 2009 at 4:15 pm and is filed under Thermal Measurement.
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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.
This entry was posted
on Wednesday, October 21st, 2009 at 7:44 pm and is filed under Thermal Measurement.
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