Biofidelic human seating surrogate apparatus

A biofidelic human seating surrogate apparatus adapted to sit on and be supported by a vehicle seat to simulate human loading of the vehicle seat, the apparatus comprising:

• a substantially geometrically-correct, relatively hard and relatively stiff skeletal frame structure having a substantially correct density, the skeletal frame structure including:
• a skull;
• a set of cervical vertebrae connected to the skull;
• a thoracic cage connected to the set of cervical vertebrae;
• a pair of scapulae connected at opposite sides of the thoracic cage;
• a pair of humeri connected at opposite sides of the thoracic cage;
• a pair of forearms connected to the respective humeri;
• a set of lumbar vertebrae connected to the thoracic cage;
• a pelvic girdle connected to the lumbar vertebrae;
• a coccyx connected to the pelvic girdle;
• a pair of femurs;
• a first pair of ball-and-socket joints for connecting their respective femurs to the pelvic girdle;
• and a pair of legs connected to their respective femurs;
• and
• elastomeric plastic formed over the skeletal frame structure, the elastomeric plastic having a substantially anatomically-correct, surface geometry, and a substantially correct density wherein at least the elastomeric plastic formed over the pelvic girdle, the coccyx and the pair of femurs has mechanical properties of bulk muscular tissue in a state of moderate contraction,
• wherein the plastic formed over the pelvic girdle, the coccyx and the pair of femurs has an effective stiffness in a range of 6 to 140 kPa.