Driving passenger experience through a data-capture seat

The Client

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Airbus BizLab is a global aerospace accelerator, where start-ups and Airbus intrapreneurs speed up the transformation of innovative ideas into valuable businesses. 

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The Brief

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Each year Airbus BizLab selects and challenges world-leading start-ups to create concepts and develop innovative ideas into realistic business propositions. In November 2018, TG0 was chosen among a cohort of 24 high potential businesses to join the Airbus BizLab accelerator programme. BizLab leaders wanted to explore the potential of TG0’s platform technology in an aerospace setting. 

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The Project

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After examining several use cases, TG0 was asked to integrate its pressure mapping technology into an aerospace seat, with the aim of monitoring passenger and pilot behaviour in order to create data-led experience improvements. Working within strict constraints of fire safety, comfort and weight, TG0 created a working prototype that replaced matrix-based sensors with one full-surface sensor capable of precisely tracking movement and pressure.

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How it was done

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Within just four weeks, TG0 created a first prototype, refined a second prototype and incorporated the flexible, one-surface touch technology into an existing Airbus Economy seat. Working with the Hamburg-based BizLab team, the project included examinations of material options, decision-making on functionality and demonstrations of how complication could be eradicated from the manufacturing process.

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The seat was unveiled at a world-leading aircraft interior exhibition in Germany.

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• The seat used existing material: EVA foam with a neoprene layer.
• No design changes were necessary; the technology fitted into the existing seat design.
• Prototype met all safety requirements including fire retardant and smokeless.
• No sacrifice on passenger comfort.
• Clear weight and cost savings over conventional sensing technology.

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The Results

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• The seat can track idling, sleeping, fidgeting, stretching and occupation.
• The sensor is durable and shock resistant, while the seat is washable and components easily replaced.
• Huge potential cost and time savings were identified through replacing matrix-based sensors with a single sensor, and simplified manufacturing.