Effect of halo-type frontal cockpit protection on overtaking

© © BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2018. In 2018, the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile introduced the halo frontal cockpit protection system into Formula 1. While extensive testing was conducted to confirm that the halo protects the driver from contact, the halo's effect on the driv...

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Main Authors: Rosalie, Simon, Malone, J.
Format: Journal Article
Published: British Medical Journal Publishing Group 2018
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/72722
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author Rosalie, Simon
Malone, J.
author_facet Rosalie, Simon
Malone, J.
author_sort Rosalie, Simon
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description © © BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2018. In 2018, the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile introduced the halo frontal cockpit protection system into Formula 1. While extensive testing was conducted to confirm that the halo protects the driver from contact, the halo's effect on the driver during overtaking was not tested prior to its introduction. Here, we describe the effect of a halo-type structure on the neck muscle activity of one of the authors, a national-level amateur racing driver, during on-track simulations designed to practise overtaking. We found that the halo-type structure caused an increase in the rates of fatigue and workloads of sternocleidomastoid and cervical erector spinae. The results suggest that the driver adopted a forward and right laterally flexed head position, presumably to clear the central pillar from his visible field. This has the potential to increase compressive loading of the cervical spine and affect the ability to use visual cues during steering manoeuvres.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-727222018-12-13T09:32:29Z Effect of halo-type frontal cockpit protection on overtaking Rosalie, Simon Malone, J. © © BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2018. In 2018, the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile introduced the halo frontal cockpit protection system into Formula 1. While extensive testing was conducted to confirm that the halo protects the driver from contact, the halo's effect on the driver during overtaking was not tested prior to its introduction. Here, we describe the effect of a halo-type structure on the neck muscle activity of one of the authors, a national-level amateur racing driver, during on-track simulations designed to practise overtaking. We found that the halo-type structure caused an increase in the rates of fatigue and workloads of sternocleidomastoid and cervical erector spinae. The results suggest that the driver adopted a forward and right laterally flexed head position, presumably to clear the central pillar from his visible field. This has the potential to increase compressive loading of the cervical spine and affect the ability to use visual cues during steering manoeuvres. 2018 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/72722 10.1136/bcr-2018-225427 British Medical Journal Publishing Group restricted
spellingShingle Rosalie, Simon
Malone, J.
Effect of halo-type frontal cockpit protection on overtaking
title Effect of halo-type frontal cockpit protection on overtaking
title_full Effect of halo-type frontal cockpit protection on overtaking
title_fullStr Effect of halo-type frontal cockpit protection on overtaking
title_full_unstemmed Effect of halo-type frontal cockpit protection on overtaking
title_short Effect of halo-type frontal cockpit protection on overtaking
title_sort effect of halo-type frontal cockpit protection on overtaking
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/72722