Books On The Biomechanics Of Head Injury Released

For those interested in nuts-and-bolts information on the biomechanics of head injury, the publisher SAE International has released a three-volume work on the topic.

‘Head Injury Biomechanics,’ Edited by Jeffrey A. Pike, is aimed at those studying head injury from a broad range of causes, including transportation, falls, sports, personal violence and blast-related.

http://www.sacbee.com/2011/09/27/3942117/sae-international-releases-new.html

Nearly 50,000 Americans die from brain injuries annually, with about half of all traumatic brain injuries (TBI) being transportation-related, according to the publisher. TBI is an ever-evolving safety topic, with equally important components of injury prevention, consequences and treatment.

This compendium, available as individual volumes or as a set, includes three volumes: “Skull Fracture”; “Brain Injury”; and “Mitigation.” Each volume includes a new chapter that ties together the various aspects of anatomy, injury, and injury mechanisms that set the stage for the technical papers that follow, which Pike selected from published literature.

There is also a common bibliography of more than 250 resources, as well as a table that organizes them by topic; e.g., transportation mode or sport.

Volume 1, “Skull Fracture,” focuses on head impact injuries and features 13 technical papers. These publications are primarily related to head impact and the resulting injury to the outside of the head — the skin, the bones of the skull, and sensory organs.

Volume 2, “The Brain,” features 13 technical papers that are primarily related to injuries to the brain, its surrounding membranes and its blood supply.

Volume 3, “Mitigation,” covers the application of protective strategies to various injury scenarios, such as passenger vehicles, sports, and blast injuries, or to a particular demographic group, such as children or seniors. This volume features 14 technical papers.

Pike is president of  Biomechanics Consulting Inc., which provides research, education, and forensic biomechanics consulting services. He has worked at Ford Motor Co. and taught at Wayne State’s Biomedical Engineering Department. He consults to various agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control, National Academy of Sciences, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, and state and local governments.

The tomes are not cheap. The entrie set of three is $199.95, or $159.96 to $179.95 for SAE members. Volume 1 and Volume 2 are each $99.95, or $79.96 to $89.95 for SAE members. And Volume 3 is  $119.95, or 101.96 to $107.95 fro SAE members.

SAE is a global association of more than 128,000 engineers and related technical experts in the aerospace, automotive and commercial-vehicle industries.