Seat Comfort Research Articles

Development of seat mats for drivers using Aloe vera

The automotive industry is continuously evolving to enhance driver comfort and safety. One crucial aspect of driver comfort is the seating experience, which plays a significant role in reducing fatigue and enhancing overall well-being during extended journeys. This abstract introduces a novel approach to seat mats for drivers, incorporating Agave Americana, commonly known as the American Century Plant, as a sustainable and effective material. The proposed seat mats for drivers are designed to offer a blend of durability, breathability, and comfort. Agave Americana fiber is known for its exceptional strength, making it an ideal candidate for a material that can withstand the rigors of daily use in a vehicle. Furthermore, its natural breathability helps regulate temperature and moisture, ensuring a more comfortable seating experience during long drives. Ultimately, the adoption of Agave Americana-based seat mats has the potential to improve driver well-being, reduce the environmental footprint of automotive manufacturing, and contribute to the broader shift toward sustainable materials in the industry.

The role of muscle forces in neck comfort for static seating: a pilot study

Aircraft seats play a key role in the competition between aircraft companies seeking to differentiate themselves in terms of passengers’ inflight experience. The seat design process relies on computational and experimental methods based on subjective measures, such as comfort rating questionnaires, and objective comfort indicators of seat-occupant interaction, such as contact pressure distribution and muscle activation. Previous studies around muscle activity for seating comfort assessment have primarily focused on more active scenarios or active systems. As such, there are limited studies about the role of muscle force in normal and relaxed sitting conditions, common in aircraft settings. This paper explores the relationship between activities of the neck muscles, sternocleidomastoid, and upper trapezius, measured from human participants seated sedentarily on conventional business aircraft seats and their perceived comfort with different backrest inclinations. The results show, for normal seating without neck pillow, no significant association is found between the backrest inclination and the neck’s comfort or muscle activation. For general seating across different backrest inclinations, a positive medium correlation between muscle activation and comfort is found in upper trapezius (R = 0.5332, p = 0.0187). This work serves as a pilot study of this new approach of comfort evaluation using muscle feedback in seat designing processes and highlights the posterior’s effect to seating experience in the neck region.

A reshaped intelligent autonomous driving by using the influence and progress of human factor engineering concept

In modern society, with the improvement of people's taste of life and the change of people's consumption awareness and lifestyle, cars are no longer just a driving tool or means of transportation. People's requirements for cars are constantly improving, such as the comfort of car seats and the convenience of reversing radar. This paper examines the role of human factor engineering in the intelligent driving and gives some examples of the usage of the human factor engineering, and analyse it by Single-vehicle level analysis and Macro system level analysis. Then, the paper lists different human factor problems affecting intelligent driving. The paper discusses one iHCl system of human factor engineering which based on the Cognitive theory at three levels of perception. The paper analyses two cognizant. For the human users, it has the three-layer scene elements, data-driven, and goal-driven information processing mechanisms utilize dynamic mechanisms for information collection and subsequent response, allowing human users to perceive the updated information obtained in the dynamic environment. For intelligent system, For intelligent systems, it has a "top-down" decision-making processing mechanism. The feedback mechanism is composed of subjects such as goals, plans, and tasks.

Hierarchical value mapping of diners in Macao's casino restaurants

PurposeThis study explores the linkages between various attributes, consequences and values of casino restaurants and the differences in the hierarchical value maps between female and male customers and between casino players and non-casino players.Design/methodology/approachThis study was conducted using the means-end chain (MEC) theory. The data were collected using the hard-laddering method. Two hundred forty-one responses were analyzed.FindingsAttributes such as “taste,” “reasonable prices,” and “discounts” were associated with the values “personal happiness,” “considered,” “life satisfaction,” and “life-quality enhancement” at casino restaurants. Males were found to hold “prompt services” as important when dining at casino restaurants, while females held a “spacious environment” to be critical. Furthermore, “use of casino complimentary credits” was important to casino players, while “free parking” and “comfortable seats” mattered for non-casino players.Practical implicationsIt is suggested that casinos add more Asian cuisines in their casino restaurants in Macao to attract customers who value culinary and cultural exploration while simultaneously satisfying tourists from neighboring regions who wish to enjoy familiar foods when they visit Macao. In addition, the authors recommend that casinos develop menu items that can be served quickly to casino players.Originality/valueThis study is based on the MEC theory and broadens the range of studies on casino restaurants. Furthermore, it provides useful information to guide casino restauranteurs in developing their marketing and operational strategies for different customer segments.

Perceptions and preferences of patient services in emergency departments in Jeddah: a comprehensive survey

Objective: This study investigated the preferences and perception of the participants regarding patient services in Emergency Department (ED). Methods: A vast comprehensive survey, targeting a sample size of 597 participants in the Jeddah region, was conducted. The study aimed to understand the appeal and necessity of various features ranging from amenities in the waiting area, specialist care, medical staff professionalism, infrastructural modifications, and procedural changes in the ER departments. Results: A substantial number agreed on a free coffee/tea service (80%), free Wi-Fi (92.1%), long comfortable seats (84.9%), and a mobile charging station (92%). Interestingly, patients preferred health information on TV (52.5%). Understanding the need for additional amenities, 72% supported the idea of a dedicated play area for children. Almost 73.8% responded in favor of a valet parking service, and 69.9% recognized the importance of personal care services provided by medical staff and nurses. The survey further showed that the presence of a device indicating approximate waiting time was a desired feature (93%). Notably, the qualifications of the emergency physician mattered for 71.7% of participants. Concerning medication delivery, 70.2% of participants preferred receiving them at their location in the emergency department. Further, 71.1% preferred to have healthy snacks on waiting area, and about 98.2% needed toilets to be cleaned frequently and scented. Conclusion: This comprehensive survey indicated a significant inclination towards patient-centric modifications in the EDs. Patients valued informational, infrastructural, and service-oriented features, emphasizing the need for a personalized, comfortable, and informed experience.

Exploring the Impact of University Type and Facilities on Students’ Academic Achievement

Introduction: The study aimed to explore the relationship between university type (public and private) and students' academic achievement, as well as the association between university facilities and academic performance. Previous literature suggested potential differences in academic achievement based on university type and highlighted the significance of university facilities in influencing student outcomes. Methodology: The study examined research objectives using correlation and cross- sectional methods. All Karachi university students—152 (62 males and 90 female), 72 from public and 80 from private—were sampled. The data was analysed using descriptive and correlational statistics to determine how institution kinds affect academic success and how facilities affect student performance. Results/Findings: Different types of universities significantly affected academic accomplishment, revealing differences in student performance between public and private institutions. University amenities, including labs, audiovisual aids, first aid, and transportation, correlate with student achievement. Other facilities, including comfortable seats, writing boards, classroom ventilation, e-libraries, social events, and sports grounds, do not affect student performance. Future Direction: Future research and longitudinal investigations may be utilized to evaluate the enduring impacts of university infrastructure on students' achievements, thereby facilitating the formulation of focused strategies to bolster scholastic triumph.

Evaluation of Road Roughness and Vehicle Speed Effects on Vibration Comfort of School Bus Driver Seats following the ISO 2631-1 Standard and Occupational Health and Safety Legislation

Human perception in terms of vehicle comfort problems is a significant issue for automotive manufacturers and academic researchers as evident from scientific papers available in the literature. In this study, the maximum vehicle speed is predicted for comfortable driving of school bus drivers at certain working conditions. First, a full-vehicle school bus model, which consists of a seat, vehicle body, wheels and suspension systems, is developed to evaluate vehicle seat comfort in accordance with International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 2631-1 and Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) legislation. Second, collected experimentally power spectrum densities of road roughness are converted to amplitude form in order to be an input to the developed full-vehicle model. Third, the frequency weighting factor, which is determined by International Organization for Standardization 2631-1, is applied to the calculated RMS acceleration of the seat. Finally, frequency-weighted RMS accelerations of the seat for various conditions of road roughness and vehicle speeds are obtained, and it is used to evaluate the bus driver seat comfort in accordance with ISO 2631-1. In addition, RMS accelerations of the bus driver seat are used to evaluate vehicle seat comfort in accordance with OHS legislation. It is concluded that the effects of vehicle speed and road roughness on comfortable driving are observed and maximum vehicle speed for comfortable driving decreases as the power spectrum density of road roughness increases. According to the results, measures to be taken in accordance with the OHS legislation are suggested.

Performance analysis of the damper with built-in magnetorheological valve

Commercial vehicles are usually equipped with suspension seats to improve ride comfort. As a semi-active intelligent device, magnetorheological damper can effectively improve seat comfort when applied to seat suspension. Firstly, a novel damper with built-in magnetorheological valve (MRVD) based on the squeeze mode of magnetorheological fluid (MRF) is designed, which integrates the magnetorheological valve (MRV) into the piston. This structure adopts a bidirectional controllable flow channel, double coil, and double squeeze chamber. Secondly, the mathematical model of the MRVD is derived based on the Bingham plastic model of the MRF. Then, the distribution of magnetic flux density in the effective damping gaps is simulated using finite element method. Finally, it is shown from a comparative work between the simulation results from the derived mathematical model and experimental test results of the MRVD that the established mathematical model can predict the field-dependent damping force well. The idea of integrating the MRV into the piston provides a new approach for the application of magnetorheological technology.

How do transport companies execute strategies in a volatile environment? A qualitative inquiry

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to explore how transport companies in Uganda execute strategies in a turbulent business environment.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopted an exploratory qualitative methodology using the data collected through an open-ended instrument. Utilizing the qualitative data analysis software QSR NVivo9, the data were analyzed following the Gioia's methodology. Verbatim texts were used to explain the emergent themes.FindingsThe study's findings show that to successfully execute strategies, companies in Uganda communicate, coordinate and put control systems in their operations. The activities undertaken include customer care, timely settlement of complaints, comfortable seats, playing local music, partnerships with reliable fuel stations, setting up strategic offices, cost management, use of experienced drivers, sub-renting vehicles and inspections.Originality/valueThe study produces a pioneering result of how transport companies execute strategies in a turbulent business environment, an aspect that has not been adequately highlighted in previous studies.

A Novel Application of Magnetorheological Seat Suspension with an Improved Tuning Control Strategy

During the operation of commercial vehicles, drivers are usually exposed to long-term vibrations and acquire several health problems. Moreover, the end-stop impacts caused by large-magnitude vibrations or shocks may affect driving performance and result in injuries. A study of magnetorheological (MR) seat suspension controlled by a novel tuning control strategy is conducted in this research to reduce vibrations and avoid end-stop impacts. First, the MR damper’s characteristics are tested, and a mathematical model of MR seat suspension is established. Then, an improved tuning control strategy is designed based on this model. The proposed strategy has three control stages that can be adjusted according to the suspension stroke to improve seat comfort or avoid end-stop impacts. Each part of the control strategy is designed separately, and the vibration attenuation performance of this seat suspension is evaluated with a simulation for three excitations, i.e., harmonic excitation, bump excitation, and random road excitation. Finally, an experiment is conducted to verify the conclusion of the simulation. The seat suspension with the proposed control shows good performances on vibration attenuation and end-stop impact reduction. Compared with a passive seat, the vibration level is reduced by around 27% and end-stop impact is avoided when semiactive suspension with the proposed strategy is used. It also shows the best overall performance among the three experimental algorithms. Both the simulation and the experiment results indicate that the vibration attenuation performance of the seat suspension can be greatly improved with the improved tuning control strategy.

Review on the Recent Development of Vehicle Seat Patent

Background: Seat is an important product in work and life, the rationality of its design directly affects people's work efficiency and physical and mental health. Especially in modern vehicles, it has become an inevitable trend to use ergonomics to design the seat of modern vehicles. This paper describes the recent research and development of seat patents based on ergonomics and tries to put forward improvement schemes for the disadvantages of existing vehicle seats. Objective: We summarized the technical contributions made by the existing vehicle seat patent achievements and summarize the existing problems or blank areas not reported. Through the comparison and discussion, the future research direction of the vehicle seat is predicted. Methods: Through tracing the patent varieties of different types of representative seats, the analysis and comparison are carried out from various angles. Results: According to the analysis of recent seat patents, the design of modern seats has gradually formed a scientific, systematic, and standardized system. Conclusion: The structural parameters and materials of seats have been closely combined with the safety and comfort of seats. With the development of science and technology and the innovation of theory, the seats of modern vehicles will develop in the direction of functionality and personalization.

A method of aircraft seat dimension design for long-term use by passengers with different body types

To improve the comfort of seat support performance, we proposed a seat dimensions design method. First, an adjustable seat was used to obtain the measurement data of user-selected comfortable seat dimensions. Second, the differences in the measurement data of different body types and riding time variables were analyzed. Third, a compromise treatment method for the different comfort requirements was developed. This method was applied to the design of passenger seats for short-distance flights in China. The lumbar support thickness was significantly different in the time variables, and the seat pan inclination and neck support height were significantly different among body types. We did not find significant differences, however, in seat height, backrest inclination, lumbar support height, or neck support thickness according to time or body type variables. There is one optimal dimension for seat height (430.5 mm), backrest inclination (104.2°), lumbar support height (98.8 mm), and neck support thickness (44.4 mm). However, seat pan inclination (5.8°, 7.2°, and 9.3°), neck support height (582.6 mm and 622.5 mm), and lumbar support thickness (40.6 mm and 48.7 mm) need multiple dimensions to meet passenger comfort requirements. This seat dimension design method provides new ideas to explore the comfort requirements of passengers and addresses the differences in comfortable seat dimension requirements for different body types and different flight durations.

Ergonomic and Anthropometric Evaluation of Locally Manufactured Vehicle Seats.

Most of the cars are imported as cargo vehicles and then converted into commercial passenger vehicles in Ethiopia. Seats are locally manufactured and installed as part of the conversion to passenger cars, with little regard permitted for the standard specifications required. A descriptive survey, an ergonomics assessment of passenger seats was conducted, and subjective evaluations of seat comfort were collected. For long journeys, there are problems of discomfort, back pain, and human fatigue. Anthropometric measurements of respondents and locally manufactured seats were used to conduct an objective evaluation of seat attributes. The findings revealed that the passengers' body proportions and the seat dimensions differ significantly and are not given any preference during design and fabrication of the seat. This study recommends the anthropometric dimensions of the Ethiopian passengers for the design and manufacturing of the vehicle seats.

Kindergarten space design on preschool teachers with OCD: an intervention analysis

BackgroundOCD is common among kindergarten teachers, and environmental space design is considered an intervention measure that can have a positive impact on OCD patients. The aim of this study is to explore the intervention effect of kindergarten environmental space design on preschool teachers with obsessive-compulsive disorder.Subjects and MethodsThe study selected classrooms of preschool teachers with OCD in several kindergartens as the research subjects and divided them into an experimental group and a control group. The classrooms in the experimental group underwent interventions in environmental space design. The control group’s classroom was arranged in a conventional manner. The study collected OCD scores and mental health questionnaire survey data from preschool teachers with OCD as research indicators and used SPSS22.0 statistical software for data processing and analysis.ResultsIn the experimental results, the OCD scores of preschool teacher patients in the experimental group were significantly reduced. The OCD score of preschool teacher patients in the experimental group decreased from the initial 32.6 to 24.1, while the OCD score of preschool teacher patients in the control group decreased from the initial 31.9 to 30.5.ConclusionsThe research results indicate that the design of kindergarten environmental space has a positive intervention effect on OCD preschool teacher patients. By providing comfortable seating and soothing colors, and providing natural lighting, environmental design measures can significantly reduce the OCD score of preschool teachers’ patients, which can help improve their mental health status.

Vibrational comfort improvement for a passenger car driver seat

Abstract This paper presents an experimental study aimed at providing new insights into passenger vehicle driver seat vibration. The study investigates the effects of various driver seat components on the damping coefficient. By employing a design for six sigma method, an optimized seating solution is proposed to enhance seat comfort levels. The control factors used in this study include seat cushion upholstery, topper foam, cushion foam, pulmaflex, torsion bar and seat structure. Seat position, foam thickness and body mass are considered as potential noise factors. Subjective evaluation of seat comfort is conducted using the SAE J 1441-2016, comparing three different passenger car driver seats. The seats are disassembled from the vehicles and mounted on a six-degree-of-freedom shaker test bench. Vertical vibration data are filtered, and transmissibility curves are experimentally obtained from the seat rail to the seat cushion via a pad. Uncomfortable seat prototypes are then manufactured, and alternative configurations are tested on the shaker. The objective and subjective evaluations of the seat prototypes reveal that lower foam hardness, higher foam density, and flexible upholstery contribute to improved comfort levels. Moreover, the prototype seat with optimum parameters receives a subjective evaluation SAE score of +0.75, indicating an enhancement in comfort.

Comfort Influences the Choice Between Airplane and Train Even on Short Distances

High-speed rail might be a solution to reduce energy usage and carbon emissions as rail transport consumes less energy than airplanes. However, in choosing a transport system, time is an important factor in making many passengers choose air travel. This paper studies the reasons why passengers choose a transport mode, and compares the comfort of aircraft and train seats. This study shows that time and costs are the most mentioned factors, but comfort and sustainability can play a deciding role between trains and airplanes on time and cost-competitive travel routes. The train seat is evaluated as the most comfortable, but still, part of the passengers choose the aircraft as the length of sitting on the seat is limited.

Factors Associated with Occupational Ergonomics and Health Risk Among Public Vehicle Drivers in Kathmandu Valley

Background: Driving is common in Kathmandu, vital for livelihood. Driver safety is crucial. Ergonomics create safe workspaces. Weather, traffic, risky behaviours cause accidents. Ergonomic mods reduce injuries, promote safety for all. Address driver health issues for a healthier transportation system. The prevalence of low back pain (LBP) was high at 73.9%. LBP was significantly associated with work duration exceeding 10 years, working more than 8 hours per day, and having more accidents while driving the bus in the previous year. Among ergonomic risk factors, individuals who reported discomfort with seats and steering wheels had a significantly higher LBP prevalence. Methodology: Descriptive cross-sectional design assessed ergonomic factors and health risk among public vehicle drivers in Kathmandu Valley. Study covered three districts (Kathmandu, Lalitpur, and Bhaktapur) for accessibility and diverse vehicles. Time Duration: Bhadra 2077 to Ashadh 2078. Study. Public drivers aged 20 to below 60 years, with at least two years' experience. This are the primary data from a structured questionnaire whereas the sample size were 394 drivers calculated with 95% confidence interval and 5% marginal error. And convenience and purposive sampling technique was applied the data were collected by Face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire on socio-demographics, economics, occupation, environment, workload, and health risk factors. Findings: Within the last year, respondents experienced ergonomics-related health risks: fatigue (27.7%), LBP (22.5%), body ache (10.9%), shoulder pain (7.1%), neck pain (5.3%), MSD (4.8%), and RTA injuries (4.8%). Other health issues observed were respiratory problems (9.6%), gastritis (10.1%), headache (8.1%), blood pressure-related problems (4.8%), blood sugar issues (3.6%), and Covid-19 impact (1.5%). Overall, 4.96% reported health problems, with 0.39% requiring hospitalization during that period. Conclusion: Overall, the study found associations between certain factors (e.g., alcohol, speed, work hours, route duration, seat comfort, height-adjustable seat, foldable seat) and health risks (severe injuries, hospitalization after RTA, sleeping disorder, mental stress, body ache, fatigue, LBP, neck pain, MSD). Keywords: [Ergonomics, Occupational Ergonomics, Public Vehicles, Health Risks.]

Comfort Study of General Aviation Pilot Seats Based on Improved Particle Swam Algorithm (IPSO) and Support Vector Machine Regression (SVR)

Little work has been carried out to predict the comfort of aircraft seats, a component in close contact with the human body during travel. In order to more accurately predict the nonlinear and complex relationship between subjective and objective evaluations of comfort, this paper proposes a prediction method based on the Improved Particle Swarm Algorithm (IPSO) and optimized Support Vector Machine Regression (SVR). Focusing on the problems of the too-fast convergence and low accuracy of the traditional particle swarm algorithm (PSO), the improved particle swarm algorithm (IPSO) is obtained by linearly decreasing the dynamic adjustments of inertia weight ω, self-learning factor c1, and social factor c2; then, the penalty parameter C and kernel function parameter σ of SVR are optimized by the IPSO algorithm, and the comfort prediction of IPSO-SVR is established. The prediction accuracy of IPSO-SVR was 94.00%, the root mean square error RMSE was 0.37, the mean absolute value error MAE was 0.32, and the goodness of fit R2 was 0.92. The results show that the optimized IPSO-SVR prediction model can more accurately predict seat comfort under different angles and backrest tilt angles and can provide reference and research value for related industries. The results show that the optimized nonlinear prediction model of IPSO-SVR has higher accuracy, and its prediction method is feasible and generalizable, meaning it can provide a reliable basis for the prediction of seat comfort under different angles and backrest inclinations, as well as providing reference and research value for related industries.

Paratransit service quality modeling reflecting users' perception-A case study in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Increasing usage of private cars and low service quality of public transport is an acute problem in many developing cities. The prerequisite is to meet the mobility needs, especially for low-income people, to ensure adequate capacity by the service provided. Paratransit is an indispensable mode of public transport, especially where the mass transit system is insufficient. Rapid increase in urban population, per capita income along existing transport infrastructure has stimulated their usage as a cheap and convenient public transport mode. Quality of service is considered as one of the most significant means to assess transit performance. To observe the performance of public transportation in roadway systems, overall passenger perceived service quality (SQ) has always been the most significant means of measurement. This research aims to establish a relationship between SQ variables describing the service of paratransit by Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) based on users' perceptions. An interview survey was conducted off-board to 2025 paratransit users at twenty paratransit routes in Dhaka metropolitan area (Bangladesh). Results show that the attribute of integration with supporting modes has the highest loading, inferring it as the most significant aspect of SQ. Attributes loading value may be explained according to the importance perceived by the users. Several SE models were developed using 21 service variables from 2000 questionnaires. Upon developing different models, the best model with three latent constructs was identified as the main characteristics for explaining the entire set of physical and service performance elements of the paratransit service. Three latent constructs were ‘Quality of transport’, ‘Transit performance’ and ‘Service quality’. Among 21 SQ variables, ‘Security of passenger’, ‘seat comfort level’, and ‘riding safety’ have been found to impart the greatest influence on the overall perceived SQ. The study findings support the data collected from paratransit users. This study may help the paratransit operators to determine variables that are decisive for SQ and their relation with the overall perceived SQ by the users. Understanding SQ variables, influencing passenger perception makes it easier to design and deliver good quality service.

An exploration of the preferences and mode choice behavior between autonomous demand-responsive transit and traditional buses

With the advancement in autonomous driving techniques, autonomous demand-responsive transit (ADRT) is a newly emerging sustainable transport mode for the future, which will provide more flexible services to public users. ADRT offers benefits such as flexible stops and routes and comfortable seats, but it also involves risks due to the vehicles being driverless. This paper particularly investigates users’ preferences and attitudes towards ADRT, and mode choice behavior between ADRT buses and traditional buses. A survey with Likert scale statements and stated preference (SP) choice scenarios is designed and conducted to explore users’ attitudes towards the safety risks of autonomous vehicles (AVs), social concerns, service flexibility concerns when using AVs, interest in new things, and shuttle mode choices. An integrated choice and latent variable (ICLV) model is adopted to explore users’ psychological factors through latent variables and to integrate them into mode choice behavioral modeling. Estimated results indicate that users’ attitudes towards AV safety risks, their social concerns, and their flexibility concerns with ADRT strongly influence their mode choices and are strongly related to sociodemographic and travel-related factors such as age, gender, income, education, number of family members. In general, a young age, a high education level, a higher income, private car ownership, and better knowledge of AVs are positively related to attitudes towards ADRT. Females, users from large families, and users with driving licenses or long commuting times are less willing to adopt ADRT. The study's outcomes highlight significant heterogeneities among users and can be highly valuable for policymakers, such as government authorities, in providing social support and designing policies targeting specific population groups. This will be beneficial in attracting more users to this emerging mobility service and contributing to sustainable urban development.