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Below are samples of ATI projects that are market viable today or will be in the near
future. Click Other Technologies for a complete list of our current technology efforts
and interests.
Aspirated Inflator
Current airbag inflators generate the gas used to inflate the airbag from a pyrotechnic
device that emits gas as the propellant burns. This gas is quite hot and contains various
chemicals that could be damaging to human health. In addition, since all the gas used to
fill the airbag is generated by the device, the pressure in the cabin of the car changes
quickly as the expanding airbag displaces air. This sudden pressure change can
be dramatic enough to damage eardrums.
An Aspirated Inflator is a device that uses air from its environment in addition
to gas created by a pyrotechnic propellant to fill an airbag. ATI is currently
developing such a device, and has attained aspiration ratios of up to 5 in a
prototype passenger frontal aspirated inflator design.
As more airbags are used within cars, aspirated inflators will be necessary to reduce the
extreme changes in pressure that occur when airbags deploy. In addition, since much of
the gas used is from the passenger compartment, the overall temperature of gas in the
airbag is significantly less, enabling thinner and less expensive materials to be used for
airbags, such as film.
Film Airbags
Current airbags are quite complicated to produce. Fabric must be woven, special
coatings applied, tethers added, and the bag must be sewn together. The resulting airbag
is heavy and can injure occupants due to its momentum.
When matched to the right inflator, airbags can be made from thin plastic film. The
resulting product is significantly less expensive to produce, has much less weight, has
better packing density, is tear resistant and requires no tethers. Though no company is
using film airbags yet, the economies and additional safety the technology represents
will ensure its adoption over the coming years.
Other Technologies
The above represents technologies that are market viable today or will be in the near
future. Below is a list of other technologies we are currently interested in and have
developed to various levels:
Collision avoidance
Crash Sensors
Airbag Systems
Vehicle Diagnostics
Weight Sensing