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 is disclosed. The apparatus includes a substantially geometrically-correct, relatively hard and relatively stiff skeletal frame structure having a substantially correct density. The structure, in turn, includes: a thoracic cage, a pair of scapulae connected at opposite sides of the thoracic cage, 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, and a first pair of ball-and-socket joints for connecting their respective femurs to the pelvic girdle. The structure further includes elastomeric plastic formed over the skeletal frame structure. The elastomeric plastic has a substantially anatomically-correct, surface geometry and a substantially correct density. 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.