Project Goal
To design and build a prototype of a universal seat which can be used on all commercial aircrafts to ensure that people with disabilities are seated comfortably. This seat would be installed on top of the standard airplane seat for additional comfort and adjustments to fulfill the needs of different people with various disabilities.
3D model of the airplane seat
Team
Academic advisor: Dr. Alexei Morozov
Client and inventor: Ms. Sandra Gualtieri
Student team (from left to right):
Soufiane Boukhabrine, Oiphis (Oi Ting) Chan,
Laurence Peinturier, Lynn Fadel
Awards
McGill Dobson Cup 2021, 1st Place Winner in the category “Social Innovation Enterprise Track” – Sandra Gualtieri
https://www.mcgill.ca/dobson/article/mcgill-dobson-cup-2021-winners
McGill Design Day 2021, 2nd Place Medical Technology Award Winner
https://www.mcgill.ca/medtec/about-us-0
Publicity
CBC article on April 5, 2021
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/airplane-seat-for-people-with-disabilities-1.5975970
CBC Daybreak Montreal broadcasting
https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-15-daybreak-montreal/clip/15835247-an-airplane-seat-people-disabilities
McGill Dobson Cup
https://www.mcgill.ca/desautels/article/dobson-cup-winner-transforming-air-travel-people-disabilities
Feedback from Ms. Sandra Gualtieri
“When I reached out the Engineering Department at McGill University about the concept of a seating apparatus for passengers with disabilities to make air travel experience more comfortable, I already envisioned what it would look like. As a client and working alongside a team of students from MECH463 under the supervision of Dr. Morozov, I was pleased with their dedication and professionalism towards this particular project. The outcome of the seat has definitely surpassed my expectations.”
Student Voice
From Soufiane Boukhabrine
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6793560941125611520/
Conferences
The student team presented this project at the Canadian Society for Biomechanics conference in May 2021.