As part of an NIH-sponsored research R44 award, the Human Sensorimotor Control Lab, directed by Prof. Juergen Konczak, received a subcontract to perform the biomechanical testing of a new device that should make it easier for parents to safely secure a child car seat. The project, “Easy-to-use Electric Low Anchor Tether Winch for Child Safety Seats,” is an industry cooperation with Minnesota HealthSolutions, a local company that is a provider of engineering and human study design services. A large national manufacturer of car seats is already interested in producing these new car seats.
Prof. Konczak is the PI for the U of M portion of the project. As part of the testing, researchers will try to determine if the new device provides a tighter fastening of the child seat to the car seat while resulting in less muscular strain and reducing awkward compromising postures of the caregiver who puts the child into the seat (“If you are the parent of a young child, you likely have been there.”).