Please remain seated: Reshaping the sedentary inflight experience

Abstract

Previous research has shown that prolonged sitting can cause irreversible damage to the human body. Standing up to walk around and take breaks during long hours of sitting is one way to mitigate these health problems. However, in some cases this is not possible—the long haul flight in an economy seat requires passengers to remain seated for many hours. To address this problem, I researched and designed an economy passenger seating system aimed at effectively reduce the risk of DVT and reducing the overall negative impacts of sedentary air travel. The concept was developed in consultation with faculty in the UW School of Nursing. The result is an asymmetrical seat design that increases the space for body movements, while integrating a reminder system to encourage mobility.