Researchers developing IED-specific crash test dummy

2/8/2012

For years, crash test dummies have been a viable resource in assessing a car's safety performance in certain situations. Things are a bit different for the military, however, as their vehicles have to contend with improvised explosive devices (IEDs). As a result, researchers are attempting to develop a dummy specifically designed for IED testing, Military Times reports.

The program has been dubbed Warrior Injury Assessment Manakin (WIAMan) and could be a large step toward preventing battlefield injuries. Scientists are working to create a new dummy because current models may not be able to accurately assess damages that are specific to IED attacks. For instance, they want the new products to relay the effects of shock waves, projectiles and velocity-driven dirt.

"WIAMan team is focused on one goal: to reduce and prevent injuries and death from a significant battlefield threat," Lt. Col. Judy Buchanan, the WIAMan project's medical assessment manager, told the publication.

Protecting vehicles and their occupants against IEDs is one of the biggest challenges facing the military. According to USA Today, in 2009 roadside bombs were responsible for 75 percent of coalition casualties in Afghanistan.