Aerospatiale subsidiary Sogerma has revealed an "intelligent" seat for first-class passengers, which adapts automatically to body shape for maximum comfort.
Maintaining a comfortable seating position for a long time can be difficult, so the Intelligent Seat provides active support, distributing pressure at the interfaces between the seat and high-risk regions of the body such as the coccyx (lower back).
The active-seat technology was pioneered by Montreal, Canada-based Ergoresearch &Consulting, in a joint research and development venture with the Institut de Réadaptation in Montreal on customised seats for motor vehicles.
The resulting robotised Expert-Seat system adapts to any adult's or child's dimensions, while a computer continuously processes the feedback from several hundred built-in sensors, and adjusts the seat using actuators and air cushions. The data on the most comfortable position for the customer is then used to produce a customised seat.
The Intelligent Seat developed with Sogerma for airline use is similar to the Expert Seat, but has the computer built in and adjusts the seat shape continuously during flight. Sensor information is compared with a database of ergonomic data on postures and comfort levels to maintain maximum comfort. The passenger can still vary position, for which the computer takes account. It can store positions as position/shape combinations to be recalled later in the flight.
The seat was launched simultaneously with a decision by Sogerma chairman Henri Puel to add business-class seats to the range of first-class seats produced at its La Rochelle plant. The aim, according to Puel, is to improve profitability by using Sogerma's reputation in first-class seats to expand into an area "-where there are more business opportunities".
Source: Flight International
