PDB

Partnership for Dummy Technology and Biomechanics

Institution :

PDB is a cooperative venture between German car manufacturers (AUDI, BMW, DAIMLER, PORSCHE, VW) in the non-competitive field of crash test dummy technology, biomechanics and simulation. Its main tasks consist of: evaluation and validation of crash test dummies and computational models, contribution to improve biomechanical know-how, co-operation with national/international organisations, institutes, working groups to reach world-wide harmonisation. Especially with respect to biomechanical know-how PDB constantly gathers, prepares and distributes information from the world of science and research which is of relevance to its areas of expertise.           

Role in the project:

PDB as an organization of the German car manufacturers will consolidate the knowhow and the needs of the safety engineers of the German car manufacturers to specify the features and quality of the software tools to be developed in the project. In addition the developed tools will be checked to ensure the use of the project results by the industry. Moreover, PDB will be involved in the dissemination of the project results by encouraging the use of the PIPER software tools in industry. The main interest of PDB is to be able to use reliable and international accepted software tools for the application of human body models with the goal to improve the passive safety of vehicles.

Team:

Dr. Norbert Praxl, Project Manager Biomechanics employed at PDB since 2008 has been involved in biomechanics for more than 15 years. Active in research and teaching since 1994, he was employed as an associate lecturer for biomechanics at the University of the Federal Armed Forces, Munich, and for several years as a research associate and technical expert at the Institute of Legal Medicine in Munich. Since working for PDB he is participating in several working groups of european and international organizations (e.g. ISO, UNECE). His experience from academic and industrial settings will be contributed to the development of the PIPER software tools as well as to the dissemination of the project results.