TMC Develops Advanced Version of Its Virtual Human Model

 

Toyota City, Japan - May 27, 2010 - Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) announces that the latest version of its THUMS[1] virtual human model allows detailed analysis of internal-organ injuries caused by automobile collisions.

 

THUMS Version 4, of an adult male of average build, adds detailed models of internal organs to the previous version’s models of bones and the brain, enabling analysis of injuries to a wider range of internal organs. Internal organs are particularly vulnerable during collisions, with injuries to them accounting for approximately half of all sustained during automobile collisions.

 

To develop Version 4, TMC worked with outside research institutes including universities and utilized a high-precision computed tomography (CT) scanner to make detailed measurements of the internal structure of the human body. By creating precise models of various internal organs, as well as the positions of and relations between those organs, TMC created a virtual human model containing approximately 14 times more information than the previous version. As a result, for analysis of internal injuries, Version 4 can simulate in greater detail how, during a collision, areas of the torso may be affected and internal organs can be damaged.

 

TMC intends to continue to use THUMS for analyzing internal injuries resulting from automobile collisions, applying the results to developing and improving safety devices such as seatbelts and airbags. TMC also plans to add models of a small female and a large male to its virtual-human-model line-up, to enable simulation of a wider range of accident situations.

 

Toyota Technical Development Corporation, a TMC subsidiary, plans to begin selling THUMS Version 4 in the autumn of 2010.

 

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For more information, digital images and media contact information, please visit media.toyota.ca.

 

[1] Name comes from: Total HUman Model for Safety. THUMS allows highly detailed analysis of bone fractures, severed ligaments, etc. by simulating many characteristics of the human body—ranging from the shape of the body to its skeletal structure and skin. TMC began developing THUMS in 1997 in cooperation with Toyota Central R&D Labs., Inc. Version 1 was completed and commercially launched in 2000, followed in 2004 by Version 2, which added a face and bones to the model. Version 3, launched in 2006, added a precise model of the brain.