Italian design firm ABC International has unveiled an unusual product to tackle an age-old problem. The Boom headrest is designed to provide full neck and head support, targeting orthopedic health and passenger comfort on flights. Available to be line fitted or retrofitted as required, the company believes it will remove the need for passengers to bring their own travel pillows for good.
The most comfortable headrest ever?
Italian design company ABC International is launching a new seat product it calls the Boom Headrest. With a focus on orthopedic health and passenger comfort, the headrest is really quite different from anything seen before on aircraft and is designed to do away with the need to bring a travel pillow on long flights.
The Boom headrest designer is Ms. Aysegul Durak, former Cabin Interior Chief Engineer at Turkish Airlines. She has over 24 years of experience in cabin configuration and passenger experience. She commented,
“While sitting, the passengers require arm support, therefore the seats provide armrest. Considering the head is just as essential, why do today’s headrests do not provide effective support for the head including the nape and neck? Boom Headrest is designed to meet the current unfulfilled demand of the passengers.”
Standard seat headrests don’t provide any support at the nape of the neck or for any part of the neck at all. Most headrests allow passengers to lean on the back, or occasionally to the side if it’s a headrest with ‘wings’. This has led to many passengers turning to travel pillows to remain comfortable on their long flights.
The Boom fills the gap in this comfort and support requirement. It functions by embracing the neck firmly at the nape, and wrapping around the neck to provide support. The bending mechanism means passengers can choose their support and alter it throughout the journey to provide optimal comfort. It also slides vertically up and down to provide support to passengers of varying heights. Ms. Durak said,
“We proudly claim that Boom Headrest is the most comfortable headrest ever designed, even surpassing portable neck pillow comfort.”
Designed for airlines too
The Boom has been designed to be a good choice for airlines too. For carriers, weight is always an important consideration in cabin furniture, so ABC has designed Boom to be the lightest headrest in the market. The main structure is manufactured from aluminum alloy, with inserts made from steel and polyamide for long life even with intensive use.
Another key hurdle is certification and the hoops that need to be navigated in order to begin using the product. However, ABC has plenty of experience in this field, making it an excellent technical partner for the retrofit of these headrests. The designer said,
“Boom Headrest can be installed to any type of seat backrest, ABC engineering will provide the full documentation and the kit and even the installation, if asked. We do not expect that any recertification will be necessary because Boom headrest is lighter than any other headrest in the market. Even the current seats without headrests might still be within the weight limits to install Boom Headrest.”
ABC is yet to find a serious airline partner for its new product, but as it only launched recently, there is still plenty of time. Alberto D’Ambrosio, CEO of ABC International, noted that,
"We will start an extensive marketing campaign to promote and diffuse the awareness of this new promising product among seat makers and airlines worldwide.”
The company is targeting delivery of the first fully integrated Boom headrest within six to eight months of the first order being received.
What do you think of the headrest? Would it convince you to leave your travel pillow at home? Let us know in the comments.