Aircraft Seat: Individual Design

Problem identification: branding, operational staff and maintenance, recycling, comfort, market shifts, and safety and certification constraints.

HMW driven research into circularity, a distinctive passenger experience, thermal comfort and seat comfort, including in-seat heating and cooling.

Stakeholder map across production, use and end of life, and a journey map for the persona Cold Carol.

Requirements from insights, PU foam alternatives and a Pugh matrix comparing gel pads, fibre batting, spring systems, thermoplastic elastomer lattice and woven suspension fabrics.

Suspension frame ideation: three concepts with aluminium frames, C-clips, quarter-turn fasteners and flexible lumbar elements, ranked against requirements.

Final concept: a low-bulk, mono-material PET comfort stack with micro-fans, heating film and lumbar support that clips onto existing seat frames with steel C-spring clips.

System map from material sourcing through manufacture, assembly, storage, distribution and use to buy-back, PET, metal and electrical recycling.

Future failure scenarios, how the design responds, and limitations and next steps.

Feature evaluation of value, limitations and design considerations, with social, environmental and economical evaluations.