Past Projects

Design Analysis

acumen completed a program sponsored by the US Army in which we evaluated technologies for producing potable water in arid environments. The thrust of the effort was to compare a technology for extracting water from diesel engine exhaust to other available technologies. To complete the effort, we studied the chemistry of fuel combustion, completed a "First Law" energy and mass balance of the system, developed conceptual designs to estimate the size and weight of the device and modeled the behavior of the system under varying environmental conditions. We then modeled the behavior of vapor-compression refrigeration and desiccant-based dehumidifiers and compared the size, weight and performance of systems based on the three technologies.

acumen measured impact forces experienced by runners' feet for a manufacturer of treadmill running belts. The purpose of the program was to determine whether the running belt alone could be credited with reducing impact forces thereby providing the manufacturer with a marketing advantage. The program involved both controlled laboratory tests and a series of human subject tests. In the laboratory, a known weight was dropped onto the competitive running belts and the impact forces were measured directly. In the human subject tests, impact forces were measured indirectly and statistical methods were used to isolate the variations due to different users, treadmills and sensors.

acumen tested a mountain bike that was involved in an accident, resulting in personal injury litigation. The injured claimed that the handlebar was inadequately tightened and caused a loss of control when the bike was in use. acumen examined the bicycle and handlebar internal components to identify damage caused by the accident. We identified evidence of large rotational forces as might be caused by impact. We conducted laboratory tests on the bicycle to measure the magnitude of force required to cause the internal damage and concluded that the accident was likely caused by misuse of the bicycle rather than faulty maintenance.

In another product liability case, acumen determined the cause of an inappropriate vehicle air bag deployment. The air bag deployed for no apparent reason while the injured party was backing out of her driveway, resulting in personal injury and damage to the vehicle. acumen witnessed the complete disassembly of the air bag system and determined that a soft drink, spilled onto the controller had caused an electrical malfunction resulting in the deployment. The vehicle manufacturer had located the controller beneath a cup holder in the vehicle center console. Thus, the vehicle design invited a user to place the soft drink in a location where, if spilled, it could have caused the electrical malfunction.

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Last Updated: March 6, 2006