SE ATING R E V IEW
Innovative seat covers
Aircraft Cabin
Modification GmbH
(ACM) has developed a
seat cover equipped with
sensors that provides
passengers with feedback
on their current seating
position and, if necessary,
tips on how they can
sit more healthily in
the aircraft. Named
‘Smeated’ (short for
‘smart seated’’ the cover
features interwoven
sensors in the textile
that can analyse the
current seating position
aircraftinteriorsinternational.com
076 JUNE 2019
of the passenger. If the
system detects that the
passenger could sit
more ergonomically and
healthily, it will transmit
visual feedback to the
passenger via an app
or the IFE system.
“This investment
will certainly pay off
for the airlines, since
passengers can enjoy
their flight feeling more
refreshed and with less
neck, shoulder and back
tension”, says Roger Hohl,
ACM’s managing director.
Franklin Products has developed
an innovative seat cover idea
named IUS (Integrated Upholstery
System), which integrates an
original upholstery material
and an inventive method of
attaching it to the seat.
The upholstery material is
synthetic suspension leather
(SSL), an engineered textile
which delivers the comfort
and support of a traditional
diaphragm, but without a seat
pan or cushion, and with the
high-quality aesthetic of
a leather dress cover.
The SSL is attached to the seat
structure using SLIM, a novel
attachment system which allows
crew to slide the IUS assembly on to
the structure with ease. SLIM
also allows Franklin Products to
provide the market with a pretensioned
diaphragm, which further
simplifies the installation and
maintenance of the integrated
upholstery system.
SLIM uses an open-mesh,
diaphragm material that includes
several innovations. The tension of the
mesh design can be customised for
optimal passenger comfort, and it can
be varied along the seating surfaces,
which allows various pressure points
to be adequately supported, while
relaxing others.
The material can also be laminated
with a synthetic leather solution to
give the appearance of a traditional
leather dress cover.
THE FIRST
SENSOR TEXTILE
Visit the
Aircraft Interiors
International
website for all
the latest seating
news
Integrated upholstery
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