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A new experimental seat was designed to investigate sitting biomechanics. Previous literature suggested links between sitting discomfort and shear force, however, research on this topic is limited. The evaluation of sitting discomfort derived from past research has been primarily associated with seat pressure distribution. The key innovative feature of the experimental seat is not only pressure distribution evaluation but shear forces as well. The seat pan of the experimental seat compromises of a matrix of 52 cylinders, each equipped with a tri-axial force sensor, enabling us to measure both normal and tangential forces. The position of each cylinder is also adjustable permitting a uniform pressure distribution underneath the soft tissue of the buttocks and thighs. Backrest, armrests, seat pan and flooring are highly adjustable and equipped with forces sensors to measure contact forces.

An airplane passenger seat, like other seats in transportation, is used by thousands or millions of people. The seat should be designed to accommodate the maximum number of a target population by taking into account the variability of body size and also the environment’s constraints. Thanks to a fully adjustable experimental seat recently built at IFSTTAR, data of the preferred seat profile and compressed seat pan surface were collected in function of seat pan and backrest angle from a sample of 36 differently sized participants. Parametric models were obtained to predict optimal seat profile parameters in function of a sitter’s anthropometric characteristics, seat pan angle and seat back angle. Using a population simulation approach, a sample of 500 males and 500 females were generated randomly based on the distribution of relevant anthropometric dimensions.