14 DAY TRIAL // Italian engineers announce the development of a new type of headrest, one that is touted to be the answer to the increasingly large number of cases in which people suffer from the effects of whiplash injuries. These are produced when cars are hit by other cars from behind. The passengers and the driver in the first car hit their heads on the headrests, and also twist their necks. This can lead to long-term health effects, which in some extreme cases include death. The Italian innovation aims at reducing the incidence of such instances, by redesigning the headrests, ScienceDaily reports.
Neck injuries are traditionally very dangerous, but a large number of existing cases reach hospitals after car crashes. The science group from Italy has recently published its proposal of a new headrest in the latest issue of the International Journal of Vehicle Systems Modeling and Testing. The researchers involved in the new work believe that their new instrument is also more comfortable and safe than existing ones. It is designed in such a way that it always remains at the correct distance from the car passengers' necks. The team believes this helps reduce the severity of whiplash neck injuries.
Another great feat, the team adds, is the fact that the new headrest locks into place as soon as the car experiences a crash, making the interior safer for drivers and passengers. In charge of the research have been experts Federico Giorgetta, Massimiliano Gobbi, and Giampiero Mastinu, all from the Technical University in Milan Department of Mechanical Engineering. They have collaborated with expert Renato Ravicinom who works for the Bruzolo-based Italian headrest manufacturer Gestind MB S.p.A.
“Whiplash injuries constitute a growing health problem and economic burden in Westernized and motorized nations. Without significant efforts in crash prevention and improvements in vehicle safety design, especially with more effective seat back and head restraint systems, the ever increasing traffic density will show a rise in this negative trend,” Gobbi reveals. The team adds that the new headrest has the ability to considerably reduce the effects that an impact from behind or the sides has on the soft tissue and the bones in the drivers' and passengers' necks.