Development of a novel surrogate head which incorporates detailed intracranial structure for the use of safety equipments standard tests (Fostering Joint International Research)

• Project/Area Number: 16KK0123
• Research Category: Fund for the Promotion of Joint International Research (Fostering Joint International Research)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Biomedical engineering/Biomaterial science and engineering
• Research Institution: Tokyo Institute of Technology
• Principal Investigator: Miyazaki Yusuke 東京工業大学, 工学院, 准教授 (70432135)
• Project Period (FY): 2017 – 2019
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2019)
• Budget Amount: ¥12,870,000 (Direct Cost: ¥9,900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥2,970,000)
• Keywords: 人体実体モデル / スポーツ傷害 / 脳震とう / 人体有限要素モデル / 傷害バイオメカニクス / スポーツ工学 / 脳震盪

Outline of Final Research Achievements

By conducting international joint research with world-leading sports technology institute in Loughborough University and human computer modeling researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, the objective of this research project was to develop a safety test method for sports brain injury using the world's first and only novel human head surrogate with intracranial structure developed by the applicant team to date. First, we conducted a baseball collision experiment using a high-speed ball collision apparatus at the Sport Technology Institute in Loughborough University, and conducted research on the mechanism and test method of sports brain injury with very short time duration of impact. In addition, a finite element model of human head, helmet, baseball ball were developed. From the results of both experimental and simulations, the mechanism of intracranial brain deformation in baseball impact cases might be different from head impact cases in other sports or traffic accidents.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

申請者が世界で唯一開発している頭蓋内構造を再現した次世代頭部ダミーを，社会問題であるスポーツ脳震盪研究に応用すべく，スポーツ工学の世界的研究機関であるラフバラ大学と人体シミュレーションモデルの世界的拠点であるチャルマース工科大学と共同研究を行った．野球ボール衝突実験とシミュレーション結果により，硬球衝突の場合，圧力波の伝播により，繰り返し高い圧力が作用することがわかった．これは自動車事故や他のスポーツ事故では観測されない現象であり，新たな脳震盪メカニズムである可能性がある．なお，本研究は，第13回国際スポーツ工学国際会議にてMizuno Sports Awardを受賞した．

Research Products

• [Int'l Joint Research] チャルマース工科大学(スウェーデン) (2018)
  • Year and Date: 2018-10-09
• [Int'l Joint Research] ラフバラ大学(英国) (2018)
  • Year and Date: 2018-04-18
• [Presentation] Brain Pressure Propagation during Baseball Impact (2020)
  • Author(s): Y.Miyazaki, J. Farmer, M. Morimatsu, S. Ito, S. Mitchell, Paul Sherratt
  • Organizer: The 13th conference on the Engineering of Sport
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] 次世代頭部ダミーと有限要素モデルを用いた野球ボール衝突時の頭蓋内脳挙動の検討 (2019)
  • Author(s): 宮崎祐介，森松美樹，伊藤翔大, Jonathan Farmer, Paul Sherratt, Sean Mitchell
  • Organizer: シンポジウム：スポーツ工学・ヒューマンダイナミクス2019
• [Presentation] 次世代頭部ダミーを用いた 野球ボール衝突時の頭部加速度応答計測 (2019)
  • Author(s): 宮崎祐介，Jonathan Farmer，Sean Mitchell，Andy Holand
  • Organizer: 日本機械学会年次大会