This article explores some of the most exciting advancements in aircraft seating design and looks into what’s currently being incorporated and what we should expect in future aircraft interior designs. >> Read the article here: http://bit.ly/ASCInflightEntertainment

1. Inflight Entertainment Seeing New Advances in Advanced
Aircraft Seating
Passengers have high expectations for their inflight experience. They want to spend the time on
a plane being productive, being entertained, or at the very least being within their own private
space. Inflight entertainment systems built into today’s aircraft seats have become increasingly
complex as airlines compete for consumer loyalty based on comfort and enjoyment. We explore
some of the most exciting advancements in aircraft seating design to see what’s currently being
incorporated and what we should expect in future aircraft interior designs.
Inflight Entertainment and Aircraft Seating Designs of the Future
The world of inflight entertainment (IFE) today is incredibly technologically advanced, and that
means the concepts developed within the industry can be pretty futuristic at times. Let’s take a
brief look at some of the more eyecatching innovations in aircraft seating as it relates to IFE.
Perhaps one of the most interesting advances comes out of Germany’s TU Dresden. Their Con-
cept Cabin has a futuristic look that appears space-aged because of the flexible LED screens
applied to virtually every surface. These surfaces can be projected with 3D displays of nearly
anything – the terrain below, the atmosphere through which they’re flying, or their favourite
movie, television show, or slide presentation. This 3D-augmented reality design makes flying
much more interactive and could potentially save weight and space by allowing any surface to
become a viewing screen.i And it just looks really cool.
Another interesting advancement in the field is is an interactive passenger control feature for
inflight entertainment. By simply staring at icons, an individual can visually select an action, ad-
just volume, tilt the seat, pause a movie, and more. Gesture control is also possible, allowing
passengers to tailor their entertainment experience through flicks of their fingers (as seen here)
without touching the screen – a great feature for seats where the viewing screen is positioned a
distance away from the seat. This innovation won the company the Passenger Comfort Systems
trophy from the recent Crystal Cabin Awards.
Using Wi-Fi to Empower Passengers to Create their Own Inflight Entertainment
Yet most of these are fairly futuristic. Some more down-to-earth ideas are also being installed in
today’s aircraft, many of which are influenced by consumer demand to make use of their own
www.aircraft-seating-conference.com