ATV rider study in Iowa City

[Forum Admin]

We received an e-mail from a Doctor in iowa City. Requesting Volunteers to Participate in an All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) Simulator Study. Let me know if you are interested.




ELIGIBLE PARTICIPANTS:
• Males
• 18 to 45 years of age
• 100 or more hours of experience operating an all-terrain vehicle (ATV)
• 5”6”-6’2” in height and weigh 160-220 pounds
• No history of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD or ADHD)

STUDY SESSION:
• 4 to 5 hours at the Engineering Research Facility in Iowa City
• Operate an ATV simulator while wearing protective and safety equipment and motion sensors
• The simulator platform will undergo a series of changes in platform angle at varying speeds and frequencies of vibration

COMPENSATION:
• Compensation will be provided

Your confidentiality will be protected.

Individuals interested may tour the facility and simulator if desired prior to final decision to participate.

We truly appreciate your considering this opportunity.

[ubnpast]

I replied to the message above. Below is the response I recieved. I also found out they are looking to schedule people the week of June 18-22. Email Chuck for more info. [e-mail]


Hi Eric, I am so glad that you e-mailed me. We have an ATV simulator that is able to move in a variety of positions and simulates speed with acceleration. We have motion capture sensors so that we can measure the movements of the ATV operator in relationship to the machine as it simulates uphill, downhill, or side hill movements, or encounters bumps. We are measuring the degree of active riding performed by experienced adult ATV operators within the confines of our simulator. It’s pretty cool.

The present study is the first study being performed with the simulator; although, it has been tested by some of the research team including myself. The present study is to provide proof that we can measure this information and to begin determining a baseline of the active riding performed by experienced adults. We hope to use this data to justify obtaining funding for further studies. In the future, we hope to evaluate if there are differences between experienced and inexperienced adult riders, children/teens vs. adults, experienced children/teens vs. inexperienced children/teens, sober vs. intoxicated adults, no passengers vs. with passengers, etc. I would like to address the concerns of your friends who may be interested but were worried about the purpose of the studies. I am not certain what their concerns are for sure, but these studies are not to get ATVs banned but to better identify how ATVs are ridden and to determine if certain factors prevent proper ATV operation to occur or if certain factors can improve proper ATV operation.

For now, we hope to be able to recruit participants that meet our present parameters. However, I can easily see us doing some studies with adults who do not meet our present study restrictions. I would certainly want to keep your e-mail address in order to contact you should you meet requirements of a simulator study in the future and then see if you would still be interested in participating.

If you know some people who might be interested in being a study participant and meet the requirements, I would love to hear from them. We are excited to get things going. Thanks so much.

Chuck

[themacs4s]

They need plenty of participants so they can "justify obtaining further funding" probably tax dollars. They don't want to get ATVs banned, just want to get more free tax payer money for more useless studies!!! They need funding to evaluate children vs adults, inexperienced vs experienced, sober vs intoxicated? Isn't that common sense, give me a break!

[movingman]

I don't know how they are funding it, but I do know that he said they would pay $100 a session for anyone who participates. Who knows what they will find with this study. May even help save a life. So if you like to ride ATV's and you like money... shoot him an email.