Benjamin Smith to Present at North Texas IASIU

Kelly Messerschmidt
Technical Communications Manager 
MSC

Benjamin Smith of Messerschmidt Safety Consultants will present to the North Texas Chapter of the International Association of Special Investigation Units (IASIU), on 20 August 2012, in Dallas, Texas.

The main focus of Smith's presentation will be on proper lighting and flash techniques for low-light environments. The presentation will also include the general principles of forensic photography, digital camera functions, and RAW file processing. Additionally, Smith will discuss modern, high and low dynamic range techniques that can be used for evidence detail enhancement and proper image exposure.

The presentation, titled “Forensic Photography,” is part of the North Texas IASIU’s continuing education program, and Smith’s presentation materials have been submitted for certification by the State of Texas for the Texas Department of Insurance.

Learn more the forensic photography services MSC provides.

Bendix ABS Research by Ben Smith Forthcoming at SAE 2012 World Congress

Kelly Messerschmidt
Technical Communications Manager
MSC

Messerschmidt Safety Consultants (MSC) is proud to announce that Benjamin Smith, in conjunction with Timothy Austin of the Wisconsin State Patrol and Mike Farrell of Fox Valley Technical College, will have their most recent research published at the upcoming Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) 2012 World Congress in Detroit, Michigan, April 24-26.

Their technical paper, “An Examination of Diagnostic Event Data in Bendix Antilock Brake System Electronic Control Units,” will be presented during the Event Data Recorders (EDR) section of the Occupant Protection session.

The paper pertains to the function and accuracy of the Bendix EC-60 and EC-30 ABS controllers in real-world crash scenarios. In particular, the study focuses on the diagnostic event recording and reporting functions within the electronic controllers of Bendix ABS systems.

This research is unique, as it is the first time that Bendix ABS systems have been formally explored as a source of crash event data in the investigations of motor vehicle crashes. The underlying research for this paper was conducted in the spring of last year on late-model Volvo and International commercial vehicles in Appleton, Wisconsin.

MSC of MS Hires New Forensic Science Intern

Kelly Messerschmidt
Technical Communications Manager
Messerschmidt Safety Consultants

MSC of Mississippi is pleased to announce the hiring of Jarrod Smith as a new forensic science intern. Jarrod is a senior at The University of Southern Mississippi studying forensic science and physics. During his internship with MSC, Jarrod will earn college credit while serving as a technical assistant. Jarrod’s training in forensic science, physics, and mathematics will allow him to be an asset to MSC throughout his internship.

MSC of MS brought Jarrod on board by way of an existing partnership with the forensic science department at The University of Southern Mississippi. The Forensic Science Program at Southern Miss, led by Dr. Dean Bertram, is one of the top programs in the country. Once part of the Polymer Science Program at Southern Miss, the Forensic Science Program has quickly expanded over the last decade to become a prominent part of the university’s College of Science and Technology. In addition to hosting the International Forensic Science Academy, Southern Miss’ forensics department is constantly engaged in cutting-edge research and development.

Prior to his joining MSC of Mississippi as a forensic science intern, Jarrod had just returned from a class trip to Washington, D.C., where he visited the Central Intelligence Agency, the Secret Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigations, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Capitol Police.

Benjamin Smith Lectures at Southern Miss

Benjamin Smith, Principal Technical Analyst for MSC Mississippi, was invited as a guest lecturer for The University of Southern Mississippi’s forensic science seminar course on February 28, 2011. Ben covered topics including crash reconstruction, Event Data Recorders (EDRs), forensic mapping, and forensic photography during this seminar. Email Ben Smith.

In March 2011, Benjamin will teach a section of Assistant Professor Dean Bertram, Ph.D.'s crime scene documentation course at Southern Miss. The course serves both undergraduate and graduate students.

Benjamin is an alumnus of The University of Southern Mississippi’s Forensic Science Department. He returns annually as a guest lecturer on various crash reconstruction topics.

Ben Smith Earns ACTAR Accreditation

Ben Smith, who manages MSC of Mississippi and serves as the Principal Technical Analyst, earned his ACTAR (Accreditation Commission for Traffic Accident Reconstruction) in November.

Since his office in downtown Hattiesburg opened in August 2010, Ben has performed work across the US, in areas such as Nevada, Wisconsin, New Mexico, and Kentucky.

MSC Conducts Heavy Vehicle EDR Testing

In conjunction with the Wisconsin State Patrol, DP Plant & Associates, and Fox Valley Technical College, Benjamin Smith of MSC conducted research tests on Heavy Vehicle Event Data Recorders (EDRs) last week. This testing was performed on Mercedes Benz and Detroit Diesel engines and took place at the Fox Valley Technical College driving course in Appleton, Wisconsin.

Over 35 tests were run in an effort to strengthen and supplement current research projects. These tests will be included in a publication to be released in mid-2011. They are part of a larger research effort that has been in operation since early 2009.

MSC thanks Fox Valley Technical College for having generously donated the use of test vehicles, test engines, test facilities, and staff. Smith says, “Our team’s research projects would not be possible without Fox Valley Technical College and their dedication to science and technology.”

MSC’s Ben Smith Attends National Crash Analysis Convention at The George Washington University

Washington, D.C. – MSC's Ben Smith is currently at the National Crash Analysis Convention, at the National Crash Analysis Center at the Virginia campus of The George Washington University. The conference lineup has included lectures and presentations on cutting-edge research being conducted at George Washington University and at the Federal Highway Administration research facility. The following list is a small sample of the presentations.

• “Opportunities for Occupant Protection in Far Side Impacts,” by Dr. Kennerly H. Digges, Mr. Vinay Nagabushana
• “Addressing Narrow Overlap Collisions: FLEE and FREE,” by Mr. Paul Scullion & Mr. Richard Morgan
• “Review of High Speed Rear-End Vehicle-to-Vehicle Crash Test Data from previous tests conducted for the conference,” by Dr. Kennerly H. Digges, Mr. Shaun Kildare, Lawrence Wilson, & Wade Bartlett
• “Guardrail Induced Rollover of Passenger Vehicles,” by Dr. Ken Opiela, Dr. Kennerly H. Digges, & Ms. Ana Eigen
• “Roof Crush and Roof Strength Characteristics from JRS Rollover Testing,” by Dr. Kennerly H. Digges & Dr. Carl Nash

In addition to hearing excellent presentations, Ben had the opportunity to tour the Federal Highway Administration research facilities in Langley, Virginia, tour the research facilities at George Washington University, and take part in live crash testing at the Federal Outdoor Impact Facility. Ben, along with other conference attendees, was able to observe a full-scale crash test involving a vehicle rear-end crash and a concrete barrier crash.

Ben took the images below, which show the crash sequence in one of the test crashes.