Even when sitting in the most comfortable seats available in the aircraft cabin, it’s hard to receive balanced support to the body while traveling. However, innovation studio Universal Movement and aerospace tech powerhouse Safran have introduced an answer to this issue. Their Interspace seat technology is now available for deployment, and Simple Flying caught up with Universal Movement founder and Chief Creative Officer Luke Miles to find out more about the solution.
The right team
Miles is an industrial designer by trade. He has worked at the likes of Lego, Nokia, LG, and Virgin Atlantic. The broad experience in this range of companies has allowed the innovator to gain a diverse set of skills over the years, which he has brought with him to his current venture. New Territory was founded in 2014. The creative studio looks over mobility and consumer technology in several sectors, helping brands transform. The company then launched Universal Movement,vwhich is a London-based spinoff focused on transportation innovation.
Universal Movement's partner on Interspace, Safran, provides aerospace solutions across the whole spectrum. In the commercial airline scene, major carriers in every region deploy the French company's products. Recently, we noted that Breeze Airways chose the Safran Seats Z600 hard product for its Airbus A220s. Meanwhile, Air France is retrofitting its Airbus A320 aircraft with the firm's larger overhead luggage compartments. These are just two examples of numerous projects that Safran has worked on in the civil aviation space.
Universal Movement and Safran’s partnership grabbed industry attention this fall when it won the first-ever Judges Choice award at the Crystal Cabin Awards. Interspace uses a lateral-support wing design to give greater personal space and comfort for passengers looking to catch some sleep in the skies.
Time to relax
With the program progressing from concept to reality, passengers traveling with this seat will be able to fold out a padded wing for better lateral support and benefit from being able to change posture.
All in all, this solution addresses an important issue found in high-density settings. Aircraft seats restrict rotation, creating stiff points above a passenger’s hip area. Additionally, headrests generally don’t offer support to the shoulder area and the rest of the upper body.
Miles explained how the system works. In practice, the product seeks to offer better quality rest for those traveling in the air.
“We’ve accommodated the wing system into the seatback. Essentially, it folds out from behind the seatback cushion. We've managed to package it into the same volume and the same envelope as the current seatback. You pull the seatback forward. The wing then rotates out to that space. You then put the seatback into its usual position, and you've got a large wing that sits on the inside of the armrest,” Miles told Simple Flying.
“It's a thin padded composite structure. It sits on the inside of the armrests, which gives you the ability to support the side of your body from your shoulder down, just toward the hip area. Traditional headrests only support the head, and you don't get that shoulder support.”
High-density solutions
Even though the offering is universal, the focus right now is in the premium economy realm. Overall, this setting is a natural fit for such a product.
“It's focused on high-density premium seating scenarios and domestic business class. In terms of regions, it's really accessible to all. Obviously, where sleep is concerned, it gives you an added benefit because you're able to rest in a different level of posture, and that's where the side support comes in. So, that's an attractive feature,” Miles added.
“I think one of the things we noticed when we were developing it is this idea of you're always facing forward. In any high-density seat, you're facing forward, you can't necessarily lean or be supported laterally. So, in any scenario where you know over a certain sector length of flight, lateral support can really enhance sleep and wellbeing.”
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Looking ahead
Ultimately, there are two pathways with Interspace. One route leads to new seats, and the other is focused on upgrades to existing ones. Universal Movement has been working intently in both fields. Nonetheless, the company highlights that the new system is now operable. It’s gone through product development and is available to carriers.
Regardless, the value of upgrade seat development isn’t understated. There are several opportunities to be had to create consistency across the cabin by upgrading older seats alongside the new introductions.
Heading into 2022, Universal Movement is excited to continue on its rapid journey. The company prides itself on thinking outside the box, constantly questioning briefs, and ensuring that its clients enter the space they want to do business in the right way. Miles concludes that whether someone is sitting at a desk, riding on a train, or flying on an aircraft, comfort is part of the human experience. Therefore, for his company, it’s all about being clear on what comfort means to someone sitting in a seat for an extended period of time.
What are your thoughts about the Interspace seat technology and how it can provide better support and comfort in the aircraft cabin? Are you looking forward to trying out the seat offering in the future? Let us know what you think of the project and its overall prospects in the industry in the comment section.