54 recorded
sitting postures can be considered as important information for the development
of the smart system for aircraft passenger neck support in the early design
stage.
2.3.6 Summary and Conclusions
Four surveys were designed and developed to study the seating comfort and
discomfort. The first survey showed that the comfort factor ‘spacious’ is the
highest among other factors of economy class aircraft passenger seat. It is
followed by ‘adjustable’, ‘ergonomic’, ‘head rest’, ‘seat contour’ and ‘neck
support’. For the truck seat survey, the results showed that the body discomfort
rating after five hours travel was higher than the body discomfort rating after one
hour travel. The top three most discomfort body parts for truck drivers after five
hours are buttocks, lower back and neck. There were similar results found in the
economy class aircraft passenger body discomfort survey. The findings show that
the economy class aircraft passengers who travel after five hours is more
discomfort than the passengers who travel after one hour. The top three main
body discomfort ratings after five hours travel are buttocks, shoulder and neck.
Both truck drivers and economy class aircraft passengers showed the discomfort
body parts after five hours travel in buttocks and neck. The difference between
truck drivers and economy class aircraft passengers is that the professional truck
drivers are driving while sitting whereas the economy class aircraft passengers are
resting while sitting. Both body discomfort levels for truck driver seat and
economy class aircraft passenger seat discomfort were associated with travel
duration. From the study of economy class aircraft passenger body discomfort,
‘neck’ is one of the top three most discomfort body parts after one hour and after
five hours of travel. Lastly, the fourth survey showed that the sitting posture of
aircraft passenger was affected by different sitting locations in the aircraft. The
survey showed that there was a relationship between sitting posture and seat
location as well as gender among economy class aircraft passengers. Most people
prefer the sitting position where their face is facing forward because it the most
comfort sitting position.
55
2.4 OVERALL CONCLUSIONS
