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“WE’RE LOOKING AT EVERYTHING FROM ADVANCES IN CABIN AIR QUALITY TO ADVANCING NEW I AND MORE LIGHTWEIGHT MATERIALS.”

A 40-foot airline cabin where Ryerson experts conduct research.

I MAGINE WHAT AIR travel might look like in 20 years: sitting back against a seat that senses where you need more support and adjusts accordingly, looking up at an LED screen and seeing the stars above, the sounds of crying babies and the roaring engine becoming imperceptible, thanks to next-level noise control.

Ryerson researchers and students – from aerospace engineers to interior designers to architects – are already working to make the next-generation air flight a reality. Their research got a major boost this past summer with the donation of a 40-foot airline cabin from Bombardier, now being housed at the Downsview Aerospace Hub in northern Toronto. The gift is further supported by a multimillion dollar grant from Bombardier and investments from government organizations and the private sector.

“More and more, airlines are trying to compete by improving the travel experience,” says Fengfeng (Jeff) Xi, a Ryerson aerospace engineering professor and the lead on the cabin project. “When you look at traveller comfort, you have two main issues. One is the body’s sensations and the other one is state of mind, how you react to what’s happening around you.”

By partnering with a range of Ryerson experts in interior design, architecture, psychology, aerospace engineering, and human factor research, the research collaboration aims to improve both physical and psychological comfort in flying. This allows the group to answer interdisciplinary questions, such as what qualities of light reduce stress? And how much head room is needed to provide a feeling of calm?

The cabin research will build on Ryerson’s completed airplane design projects. For the last two years, thanks to support from a Collaborative Research and Design grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, funding from Bombardier, and partnerships with researchers at the University of Toronto and Queen’s University, Xi and a team of Ryerson researchers have designed and built an interactive smart seat, window and lighting module.

The seat has sensors that detect where pressure needs to be increased or decreased to provide ergonomic support. A series of connected air pockets then inflate and deflate accordingly. Speakers positioned on either side of the head rest emit sound waves that oppose the incoming frequencies of engine noise and cancel it out. The smart window can adjust the tinting and glare, depending on whether the passenger indicates they would like to read, sleep or watch a movie.

26 Ryerson University Magazine / Winter 2019