Samuel W. Alderson

A physicist and engineer, in the 1950s Alderson developed the "anthropomorphic test device" to help NASA and the U.S. Air Force test ejection seats in high-performance aircraft. But few called them "A.T.D.s", preferring instead "crash test dummy". Alderson campaigned for the dummies to be more widely used, such as to help design safer automobiles. His first design made specifically for automotive testing was produced in 1968, replacing what was previously used in crash tests: cadavers, and ushered in a new era of vastly improved automotive safety. He died February 11 at home in Los Angeles from myelofibrosis, a bone marrow disorder. He was 90. From This is True for 13 February 2005 Suggestions for further reading: Night of the Crash-Test Dummies by Gary Larson Amazon Price: $9.73 Customer Review: No one has a sicker, convoluted sense of humor than Gary Larson, and our lives are enriched because of it. His cartoons are bizarre, sadistic and hilarious and give us a new perspective on life, history and how the universe often seems to run sidewa...   Revolt of the Crash-Test Dummies: Poems by Jim Daniels Amazon Price: $12.44 Customer Review: Jim Daniels never disappoints as a poet and this latest book is no exception. For years I have followed (and collected) everything of Mr. Daniels I could get my hands on . . . to say he is a blue collar poet or a poet of the people is an oversimplif...   Night of the Crash-Test Dummies A Far Side Collection by Gary Larson Amazon Price:   Marriage Keys for Crash-Test Dummies by Frank T Williamson Amazon Price: $12.47   Ward's Auto World April 2000 Fighting Crash Test Dummies on Cover, Launching ... Amazon Price:   Newsfeed display by CaRP

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