Vehicle Seat Platform Simulation for Human Braking Motion Capture

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle braking and collision simulations using artificial passengers, such as crash test dummies, fail to accurately depict human passenger movements and positions, posing safety risks and limiting the effectiveness of airbag deployment algorithms.

Innovation Solution

A system that includes a seat platform secured within a vehicle, controllably displaced to simulate deceleration, equipped with sensors to gather data on passenger movements and positions, and a computing system to generate simulation input data for training and implementing airbag suppression systems, ensuring passenger safety during simulations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If artificial passengers (crash test dummies) are used in vehicle braking and collision simulations, then passenger safety is ensured, but the accuracy of human passenger movement depiction deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepassenger safetyVSAvoidhuman passenger movement accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a human passenger as a biological copy/analogue of actual human passengers, capturing realistic human movement patterns, reactions, and physiological responses during deceleration events. This biological copy provides more accurate data for airbag deployment algorithms compared to artificial dummies, while safety is maintained through controlled simulation conditions and protective systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Measurement precision

If human passengers are used in vehicle braking and collision simulations, then measurement precision of passenger movements is improved, but passenger safety deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepassenger movement accuracyVSAvoidpassenger injury risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements beforehand cushioning through multiple safety mechanisms: the seat platform provides a controlled movement environment, propulsion apparatus enables gentle positioning, and protective systems are pre-configured to cushion and protect the human passenger during simulation. These measures ensure that even though human passengers are used for accurate movement data, they are protected from injury through pre-established safety measures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Solution Approach 2:

The seat platform acts as an intermediary between the human passenger and the vehicle deceleration forces. It provides a controlled interface that isolates the passenger from direct exposure to harmful deceleration forces while still allowing accurate measurement of passenger movements. The propulsion apparatus and control systems serve as additional intermediaries to ensure safe operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Speed

If the seat platform is displaced rapidly to simulate real-time braking events, then simulation realism is improved, but passenger safety deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesimulation speedVSAvoidpassenger injury risk

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements dynamic control of the seat platform displacement, allowing the simulation speed to be adjusted based on safety requirements. The propulsion apparatus enables controlled movement at variable speeds, and the control system can dynamically modify the displacement rate to balance simulation realism with passenger safety. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to operate at lower speeds for safety while still capturing essential movement patterns.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS12553798B2Systems and methods for vehicle braking and collision simulations using human passengers

Publication Date: 2026.02.17 GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC

AI summary

Systems and methods are provided for vehicle braking, collision, or braking and collision simulations. The systems include a seat platform configured to be secured within a vehicle such that the seat platform is located on or above a seat of the vehicle, the seat platform configured to be controllably displaced relative to the vehicle seat in at least a forward direction towards the front of the vehicle while having a passenger disposed on the seat platform during a deceleration simulation that includes displacing the seat platform having the passenger disposed thereon from an initial position toward the front of the vehicle, one or more sensors configured to gather sensor data indicative of spatial characteristics of the passenger during the deceleration simulation, wherein at least one of the sensors is a sensor of the vehicle.