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The seat belt reduces the risk of injuries resulting from the position of the passenger
Seat belts with the UPC seal
Balduí Blanqué, a researcher with the Electronically Commutated Motor Drives Group, has developed and patented a system that increases the effectiveness of vehicle seat belts by detecting the position of seat occupants. A number of international companies have expressed an interest in the system.
03/10/2011
The first seat belts for cars were manufactured by the US carmaker Ford at the beginning of the 1950s (though they were not produced continuously from that point). At the time, seat belts were not regarded by users or manufacturers as essential for the protection of vehicle occupants; they were viewed as an added-value feature that would help the models in which they were installed gain a good position in the market.
It was not until 1959 that the German company Volvo started to install the devices as part of the standard equipment in its entire range of vehicles. The project, headed by the engineer Nils Bohlin, led to the invention and universal adoption of the three-point belt, which is still in use today. This type of belt uses three anchor points to hold the occupant in place.
Since they first appeared, seat belts have evolved thanks to a series of technological improvements, and the latest of these innovations bears the UPC seal. Researcher Balduí Blanqué, who works with the Electronically Commutated Motor Drives Group (GAECE), based on the Vilanova i la Geltrú Campus of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. BarcelonaTech (UPC), has developed and patented a new system that improves the effectiveness of seat belts by detecting and monitoring the position of vehicle occupants.
Blanqué developed the new device with the collaboration of Melcior Malivern, a student at the Vilanova i la Geltrú School of Engineering, whose final thesis on passive safety systems sketched out a new system to facilitate the taking of measurements in the seat belt approval process.
Together they came up with a device that differs from those currently used in that it does not require the attachment of a measuring tape or sensor on the outer part through which the belt slides, elements that in many cases hinder the natural operation of the seat belt.
The new system also provides continuous information on the movements of vehicle occupants, which facilitates the preparation of reports on the habits of drivers and passengers. Balduí Blanqué explains that the prototype can be used both to “extract measurement data required for vehicle approval and to activate signals that properly trigger the vehicle’s safety components, such as airbags and seat belt pretensioners.” The second function “reduces the risk of injuries resulting from the position of vehicle occupants.”
The system has been tested and validated in collaboration with the Applus+ IDIADA Passive Safety Laboratory, where static and dynamic tests were performed using a sled and standard measuring instruments.
A number of companies in the automotive sector have expressed an interest in learning more about the product and exploring its commercial potential. “The application of ideas developed through the use of new technologies leads to improvements to technical products, presents new business opportunities, and opens up avenues for research that have been overlooked by universities until now,” says Blanqué.
It was not until 1959 that the German company Volvo started to install the devices as part of the standard equipment in its entire range of vehicles. The project, headed by the engineer Nils Bohlin, led to the invention and universal adoption of the three-point belt, which is still in use today. This type of belt uses three anchor points to hold the occupant in place.
Since they first appeared, seat belts have evolved thanks to a series of technological improvements, and the latest of these innovations bears the UPC seal. Researcher Balduí Blanqué, who works with the Electronically Commutated Motor Drives Group (GAECE), based on the Vilanova i la Geltrú Campus of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. BarcelonaTech (UPC), has developed and patented a new system that improves the effectiveness of seat belts by detecting and monitoring the position of vehicle occupants.
Blanqué developed the new device with the collaboration of Melcior Malivern, a student at the Vilanova i la Geltrú School of Engineering, whose final thesis on passive safety systems sketched out a new system to facilitate the taking of measurements in the seat belt approval process.
Together they came up with a device that differs from those currently used in that it does not require the attachment of a measuring tape or sensor on the outer part through which the belt slides, elements that in many cases hinder the natural operation of the seat belt.
The new system also provides continuous information on the movements of vehicle occupants, which facilitates the preparation of reports on the habits of drivers and passengers. Balduí Blanqué explains that the prototype can be used both to “extract measurement data required for vehicle approval and to activate signals that properly trigger the vehicle’s safety components, such as airbags and seat belt pretensioners.” The second function “reduces the risk of injuries resulting from the position of vehicle occupants.”
The system has been tested and validated in collaboration with the Applus+ IDIADA Passive Safety Laboratory, where static and dynamic tests were performed using a sled and standard measuring instruments.
A number of companies in the automotive sector have expressed an interest in learning more about the product and exploring its commercial potential. “The application of ideas developed through the use of new technologies leads to improvements to technical products, presents new business opportunities, and opens up avenues for research that have been overlooked by universities until now,” says Blanqué.
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