 Keeping soldiers safe is a top priority for vehicle engineers. Army researchers partnered with industry and academia to develop the next generation crash test dummy. Together, they designed a new device that will save lives. The mannequin reacts more like a human when an impact or blast comes from underneath the vehicle. Researchers from the U.S. Army Research Laboratory and the Tank Automotive Research Development and Engineering Center and industry partner DTS commemorated the delivery of four new mannequins in a ceremony July 19. Today is a significant day for Army Research Laboratories and U.S. Army Research Development Engineering Command because we are taking delivery of our first new generation of ATDs which are anthropomorphic test devices, human surrogate test devices that will be used in under blast testing. The Army's next generation crash test dummy has many advantages over past models developed by the automotive industry. Advanced sensors give high resolution data to open new insights into vehicle design. And so within our lab we use these crash test dummies or ATDs to give us a sense of what would actually happen if a person were in an under body blast type event in a simulated lab environment. What we do is evaluate vehicles and vehicle technologies for occupant protection. Following the ceremony the team along with university partners received hands-on training for the new devices all as part of the Warrior Injury Assessment Mannequin or We-A-Man program. The We-A-Man Engineering Office has done a really phenomenal job of really developing a science and technology initiative and really producing a prototype of a technology that soldiers really need. Officials said the delivery of the new test mannequin wouldn't have been possible without industry partners. So it's been significant for us. We have a history of working in safety research but for this now to expand into the military role and particularly the U.S. military it's been a significant honor and challenge and it's been very rewarding. The Army hopes to acquire at least 10 fieldable prototypes by next year. The system is going to allow us to really know what's going on inside those vehicles so we can bring our soldiers home safe. In Novi, Michigan, Joyce Conant, ARL TV.