CRYSTA L C A BIN AWARDS
In-flight Entertainment and Connectivity 7
6
aircraftinteriorsinternational.com
JUNE 2019
RUNNERS UP
One entry impressed not just the
judging panel but also Emirates. The
virtual windows from Collins Aerospace
are used in Emirates’ B777 first class
suites, a design that made the final
in the Cabin Concepts category (see
p83). The side-facing orientation and
wide field of view of a row of virtual
windows presented challenges including
accurately representing aircraft pitch and
roll to avoid motion sickness, while the
wide field of view could create fisheye or
barrel distortion effects. However, Collins
Aerospace combined custom optics and
electronics to overcome these challenges.
Indeed the company claims the system
provides a visual experience superior to
that of looking through real windows.
Global Eagle Entertainment (GEE)
competed with what it describes as
a “milestone in the history of satellite
connectivity”, having demonstrated a
low-cost satellite network that enabled
an aircraft in flight to communicate at
broadband speeds with a low-earth orbit
(LEO) satellite system.
WINNER: UNITED AIRLINES & PANASONIC
This category covers areas such as
accessible content, antennas, apps,
moving maps and cabin wi-fi.
United Airlines is a worthy winner,
having worked with Panasonic to
introduce the world’s most extensive
suite of IFE accessibility features,
providing entertainment for passengers
with any level of visual acuity, or
with hearing and mobility issues.
Features of the system, aptly named Entertainment For All, include
text-to-speech with reading granularity options; customisable voice
volume, voice speed and voice pitch; ‘explore by touch’; screen
magnification; customisable text size; high contrast text options;
colour correction options and a colour inversion option. Hearing
impaired and non-English speaking passengers can also
enjoy content served based on individual requirements.
“Accessible and relevant IFE plays a major role in
customers enjoying their flying experience and we
wanted to create a system that all United customers
could enjoy, including customers who have varying
vision, hearing or mobility requirements,” said Toby
Enqvist, SVP of customers at United. “Together
with Panasonic, we spent three years building
a system that is truly inclusive, and we look
forward to adding it to more aircraft soon.”
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WINNER: COLLINS AEROSPACE
This category rewards innovation in materials and in the application of
materials. Entries can be a single technical component or material, but not
a fully developed product such as a seat.
Collins Aerospace was the shining star in this category with the μLED
reading light, which consists of a dense array of LEDs that work as a
variable geometry light source that is then projected to create any shape
of form, limited only by the resolution of the LED. The μLED design is
essentially a miniature projector, but without the cost and size associated
with an LCD or DLP light engine, and as well as a reading light, can be used
as accent or suite lighting, for example.
μLED can also offer keystone and flux correction and
even convert into a wide angle dome light. The unit
can also create multiple, discrete spots from one
LRU (two or three seats from one part). According
to Collins, additional functionality in future
software updates could enable features such as
airline logos, seat numbers, passenger guidance
and animated effects.
RUNNERS UP
The Kydex Lumina opaque thermoplastic sheet from
Sekisui SPI also has a focus on pleasant lighting. The
customisable sheet has been created to give designers
the ability to craft bespoke experiences using colour,
image and light. As well as filtering light, as light passes
through Lumina selectively, silhouettes can be shaped
by internal patterning, colour saturation and imagery. In
concert with LED systems, Lumina can be used to shape
and refract stark light, creating soft textures and tones.
The third finalist was Safran’s Flexible Door, created
in response to the growing trend for suites in business
class. Adding a door to a seat has certain issues,
including expense, weight, and certification. Safran’s
solution is a door made from flexible materials
that is integrated in the sidewall of the seat and
which can be drawn across the aisle
access, almost like
a blind.
LEFT: THE μLED LED ARRAY OPENS
UP NEW LIGHTING POSSIBILITIES
BELOW LEFT: UNITED AIRLINES’
ACCESSIBLE IFE SYSTEM
Material & Components
/aircraftinteriorsinternational.com