Being in Control of Noise Levels Improves the Perception of Airplane Seat Comfort

The aviation industry is constantly making compromises when designing comfortable airplane cabins. Providing passengers with a pleasant acoustic environment without adding weight to the cabin structure is a field of tension that challenges cabin interior designers. The aim of this study was to investigate whether noise levels affect the comfort and physical discomfort experienced by airplane passengers, and whether control influences comfort perception. To this end, 30 participants experienced three conditions (silence, aircraft engine noise at 75 dB, and the same noise with the ability to use earplugs), and comfort and discomfort were measured using a questionnaire. It was concluded that aircraft engine noise negatively affected the airplane passengers’ comfort experiences. Having the ability to control this noisy environment with earplugs resulted in the lowest reported physical discomfort.

A Development of the Self Shape Adjustment Cushion Mechanism for Improving Sitting Comfort

The seat comfort of automobiles is one of the significant factors for determining the driver’s fatigue, emotional experience, and individual space (which captures their individuality, rather than just a means of transportation in modern society). Conventional automobile seats could not provide seating comfort suitable for all drivers, in the form of seats that fit each driver’s body type and the difficulty of meeting individual needs. This study proposes self-shape adjustable (the SSA seats) seats that improve the sitting comfort, safety, and secure the stability, by adjusting shape fit to the driver’s body type. The SSA seats transforms the seat itself, in a way that improves the distribution of contact pressure and reduces sitting fatigue, with the pneumatic system. The transformed seats provide better sitting comfort and safety than the conventional automobile seat, by providing a seat shape suitable for the body shape of all users. It was verified that the SSA seats, proposed in this paper, have a uniform and improved pressure distribution, compared to the conventional seat, in various sitting postures; the contact area between the seat and user is enlarged, and the pressure concentrated on the ischial bone is lowered. In addition, it was proven (through user evaluation) that quantitative evaluation verification was the same as qualitative evaluation results.

Development of Comfort and Safety Performance of Passenger Seats in Large City Buses

A bus seat needs to be designed ergonomically for better seating comfort. The present study is intended to develop a cost-effective ergonomic bus seat design based on seat comfort and safety demands. As part of the proposed seat design procedure, seating comfort analysis, identifying preferred design features, and developing a seat design are included. An analysis of the bus seat back and seat pan profiles was conducted. Based on the results of the comfort analysis, the authors identified the preferred design features of bus seats during the design identification process. An improved bus seat prototype was developed based on selected design features in the design development stage. Seating comfort analyses were used to compare the achieved seat with the reference seat. The seat design developed in the present study may be applicable for various types of bus public transport.

Pressure sensing and control of an aircraft passenger seat

The premise of this work is to address aircraft seat comfort. This thesis presents the development of an automatic morphing backrest used to reduce pressure experienced by the passenger from the seat. Uncomfortable, high surface pressure zones on the backrest can be alleviated by decentralizing the occupant’s weight. The improved pressure distribution is intended to decrease discomfort during flight while taking different comfort/discomfort models into consideration. Pressure distribution data from the embedded sensor mat is used to compute the seat’s cushion deflection and corresponding backrest contour caused by the passenger’s weight. The surfaces of interest - the passenger’s back and the seat, are modelled and discretized. The discretized surface contact pressure is integrated into the hyperelastic contact model to determine the loading profile. From this, the current pressure distribution and the cushion’s surface change are computed and used in the control system to create the corresponding actuation of the surface.

Pressure sensing and control of an aircraft passenger seat

The premise of this work is to address aircraft seat comfort. This thesis presents the development of an automatic morphing backrest used to reduce pressure experienced by the passenger from the seat. Uncomfortable, high surface pressure zones on the backrest can be alleviated by decentralizing the occupant’s weight. The improved pressure distribution is intended to decrease discomfort during flight while taking different comfort/discomfort models into consideration. Pressure distribution data from the embedded sensor mat is used to compute the seat’s cushion deflection and corresponding backrest contour caused by the passenger’s weight. The surfaces of interest - the passenger’s back and the seat, are modelled and discretized. The discretized surface contact pressure is integrated into the hyperelastic contact model to determine the loading profile. From this, the current pressure distribution and the cushion’s surface change are computed and used in the control system to create the corresponding actuation of the surface.

Predictive variables for sleep quality in professional drivers

Antecedentes: Los conductores profesionales suelen padecer problemas para dormir o descansar correctamente. Esto puede deberse a diversos factores tanto personales como específicos de las condiciones laborales. En el presente trabajo nos hemos planteado desarrollar un modelo predictivo sobre la calidad del sueño en conductores profesionales utilizando los indicadores siguientes: Edad, Género, Confort del asiento, suspensión del asiento, Soporte lumbar ajustable del asiento del conductor, Horas de conducción, Problemas musculoesqueléticos, Drivers Stress, Irritación, Personalidad resistente, Burnout, conductas de seguridad e Impulsividad. Método: Los participantes han sido 369 conductores profesionales, de distintos sectores del transporte, obtenidos mediante un muestreo no probabilístico. Se han utilizado el programa SPSS 25.0. Resultados: Se determina la capacidad predictiva de algunas variables que afectan a los conductores sobre la calidad del sueño. Conclusiones: La calidad del sueño se puede predecir a través de determinadas variables, siendo la mejor predictora Exhaustion (Burnout). Esta investigación contribuye a un mayor conocimiento de la calidad del sueño y a la mejora de la salud de los conductores profesionales. Background: Professional drivers often have problems sleeping or resting properly. This may be due to various factors, both personal and specific to their working conditions. In this study, we set out to develop a predictive model for the quality of sleep in professional drivers using the following indicators: Age, Gender, Seat Comfort, Seat Suspension, Adjustable Lumbar Support of the Driver’s Seat, Driving Hours, Musculoskeletal Problems, Driver Stress, Irritation, Resistant Personality, Burnout, Safety Behaviors and Impulsivity. Method: The participants were 369 professional drivers from different transport sectors, obtained through non-probabilistic sampling. The SPSS 25.0 program was used for statistical analysis. Results: The predictive capacity of certain variables that affect drivers’ sleep quality is determined. Conclusions: Sleep quality can be predicted by means of certain variables, the best predictor of which is Exhaustion (Burnout). This research contributes to the body of knowledge on sleep quality and on improving the health of professional drivers.

Driver seat comfort for level 3-4 autonomous vehicles

BACKGROUND: Autonomous vehicles can be classified on a scale of automation from 0 to 5, where level 0 corresponds to vehicles that have no automation to level 5 where the vehicle is fully autonomous and it is not possible for the human occupant to take control. At level 2, the driver needs to retain attention as they are in control of at least some systems. Level 3-4 vehicles are capable of full control but the human occupant might be required to, or desire to, intervene in some circumstances. This means that there could be extended periods of time where the driver is relaxed, but other periods of time when they need to drive. OBJECTIVE: The seat must therefore be designed to be comfortable in at least two different types of use case. METHODS: This driving simulator study compares the comfort experienced in a seat from a production hybrid vehicle whilst being used in a manual driving mode and in autonomous mode for a range of postures. RESULTS: It highlights how discomfort is worse for cases where the posture is non-optimal for the task. It also investigates the design of head and neckrests to mitigate neck discomfort, and shows that a well-designed neckrest is beneficial for drivers in autonomous mode.

A body-shaped lumbar-sacral support for improving car-seat comfort

BACKGROUND: Nowadays, the ergonomic study of the driving position is a critical aspect of automotive design. Indeed, due to the rising needs on the market, one focus for car industries is to improve the perceived comfort related to the cars’ interior. Driving a car for a prolonged time could cause complaints in some body-regions, especially in the lumbar-sacral area. Thus, special lumbar-sacral supports for driver seat has been proposed for reducing this kind of complaints. OBJECTIVE: Development of two virtual and physical models of lumbar-sacral support for improving both the lumbar/sacral and overall perceived comfort while driving. METHODS: Two prototypes of lumbar/sacral support have been realized: the first one was integrated into the seat, and the second one was shaped as a removable pillow (removable support). Fifty participants were asked to rate the perceived comfort in lab tests performed on a seating-buck by comparing three configurations (5 min each): a standard seat, seat with the removable support, seat with integrated support. Subjective data (by questionnaires) and objective data (interface pressure between backrest and driver) have been acquired and statistically processed. In addition, real driving tests have been performed to test the actual performance of the removable support in term of perceived comfort comparing it with the standard seat. RESULTS: Statistical correlations between subjective and objective data showed interesting results in comfort improvement through the adopted solutions. Real driving tests showed an improvement in comfort perception with the lumbar-sacral support towards the standard seat. CONCLUSIONS: Thanks to the virtual prototyping and the application of previous knowledge, coming from literature and experience, a solution for improving the overall comfort and reduce the lumbar/sacral pain while driving has been developed, tested, and assessed.

A multifactorial approach to specify comfortable rail seats

BACKGROUND: A robust rail seat comfort assessment can inform the GB rail industry when procuring new seats and identify areas for comfort improvement in the refurbishment of existing seats, improving the customer experience. OBJECTIVE: To take a multifactorial approach to measuring comfort and to create a robust seat comfort assessment method for the GB rail industry. METHODS: Seat comfort assessment scores were developed by identifying seat dimensions (e.g. Seat height, seat width, seat depth), seat pad thickness and hardness requirements, seat accessories and seat attractiveness components. Scores for each seat feature were verified by conducting a fitting trial and asking 7 participants to rank dimensions through a range of adjustment. The combined scoring of features was verified by asking 14 participants to rank seats in three configurations (<minimum comfort; minimum comfort;>minimum comfort). The seat comfort dimensions scores were then validated by ranking seven existing rail seats using the assessment method and comparing the ranks with subjective comfort ranks of 12 participants. RESULTS: The validation testing resulted in a moderate positive correlation, indicating an alignment between the seat comfort assessment method and subjective comfort scores. CONCLUSIONS: A multifactorial seat comfort assessment has been shown to be a good indicator of passenger seat comfort.