Sleepypod Introduces the Most Advanced Crash Test Dog Ever

Mary Simpson
by Mary Simpson
A leader in safe car restraints for dogs, Sleepypod unveils a new and improved “Duke” – the most advanced crash test dog dummy ever developed.


We all know the phrase “garbage in / garbage out” when it comes to compiling stats. If you’re not inputting reliable, quality data, don’t expect to generate results of any value.


That’s why Sleepypod’s recent announcement about their new crash test dog is so important. The Pasadena-based company just unveiled a new and improved “Duke” – the most advanced crash test dog dummy ever developed. New instrumentation and better bio-fidelity in the updated DUKE 2.0 means superior, measurable data that will aid Sleepypod in the creation of safer car restraint designs for our pets.


Related: Five Dog Friendly Car Restraint Tips


So what does bio-fidelity mean and how does it help gather more accurate data? Test dummy DUKE 2.0 weighs in at 75 pounds – around the size of a larger dog – and has a camera mounted in its head to record crash video footage from the point of view of your pooch. This new version also has improved weight distribution, lifelike articulated joints that allow the legs and waist to bend as well as a more realistic version of a dog’s neck and spinal structure that actually flexes and compresses to help Sleepypod assess whiplash.


Additionally, load cells have been integrated into DUKE 2.0’s chest area to measure forces when moving forward in a collision. The data is then downloaded to a computer for analysis. Now this is where “quality” comes into play. The data collected by DUKE 2.0’s crash tests is both accurate and verifiable – critical factors in determining which pet safety restraint designs will lower the damaging forces on a dog during a collision.


Michael Leung, Sleepypod co-founder and lead product designer confirms, “A poorly engineered passenger restraint system can cause more harm than good. A good restraint system needs to be able to absorb kinetic energy while keeping the pet from accelerating forward and leaving the seat.”

Mary Simpson
Mary Simpson

Sharing space with three seriously judgy Schnoodles and a feline who prefers to be left alone. #LivingMyBestLife

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