SBIR Phase I: Quasi- Semi-Active Seats (QSAS) for Heavy Machinery

SBIR 第一阶段：重型机械的准半主动座椅 (QSAS)

• 批准号: 1819917
• 负责人: Varun Chalasani
• 金额: $ 22.5万
• 依托单位: ACTIBIOMOTION, LLC
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2018
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2018-06-15 至 2020-02-29
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1819917&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: SBIR; Phase; Quasi; Semi; Active

The broader impact/commercial potential of this project focused on a novel seat design that reduces vehicle-based whole-body vibration and shock will 1) better protect human health while 2) addressing major transportation markets including trucking, agriculture, construction, military vehicles, and mass transit, as well as automobiles and water-/land-based recreational vehicles. The envisioned socio-economic impact is significant: Continual exposure to whole-body vibration and shocks can cause discomfort, reduction in work performance, and chronic low-back pain for vehicle operators and passengers. Low-back pain is the largest component of disability among all occupational-related injuries. Though so-called "active" seats can help reduce these vibrations/shocks, their high cost is a major barrier. The low-cost seats being pursued here could benefit millions of vehicle operators. The work will also result in a greater scientific and technological understanding of the sources/effects of and potential remedies for whole-body vibration and shock. The suspension system market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 5.11%, by value, from 2016 to 2021. The market is expected to grow from USD 52.38 Billion in 2015 to USD 67.22 Billion by 2021. The market for bus seats alone is expected to be at $10.03 Billion by the year 2022.This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is focused on the feasibility of a quasi-semi-active seat (QSAS) technology. Seating design for heavy equipment and vehicle operators has faced a trade-off between performance and cost. The most-complex 'active seats' reduce vibration but are cost-prohibitive at $3,500. Semi-active seats are simplified active seats and perform better than passive seats, but still magnify input vibration and cost several thousand dollars. Passive seats are the least expensive, but they magnify input vibration at low frequencies. Recent design/material advances and strong preliminary data set the stage for developing an innovative passive seat at a fraction of the cost of semi-active seats that will reduce input vibration at low frequencies. Phase I feasibility will be shown using sliding friction to mitigate vibration at low frequency. A QSAS prototype will be built and used to show potential in laboratory and field settings. Technical challenges will involve material selection that will show maximum vibration mitigation and dissipation, as well as integration of the cushion with a suspension system that can handle the weight of a seated person. The research will determine effective performance parameters under different magnitudes and frequencies of vibration that simulate realistic operational conditions.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

该项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力集中在减少基于车辆的全身振动和冲击的新型座椅设计上，这将1)更好地保护人类健康，同时2)满足主要交通市场，包括卡车运输、农业、建筑、军用车辆和公共交通，以及汽车和水上/陆地休闲车辆。预期的社会经济影响是显著的：持续暴露在全身振动和冲击中会导致不适，降低工作绩效，并对车辆操作员和乘客造成慢性下腰痛。在所有与职业有关的伤害中，腰痛是致残的最大组成部分。虽然所谓的“主动”座椅可以帮助减少这些振动/冲击，但其高昂的成本是一个主要障碍。这里正在追求的低成本座位可能会让数百万汽车运营商受益。这项工作还将增进对全身振动和冲击的来源/影响和可能的补救措施的科学和技术了解。2016年至2021年，按价值计算，悬挂系统市场预计将以5.11%的年复合增长率增长。预计到2021年，该市场将从2015年的523.8亿美元增长到672.2亿美元。预计到2022年，仅公共汽车座椅的市场规模就将达到1003亿美元。这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目的重点是准半主动座椅(QSAS)技术的可行性。重型设备和车辆操作员的座椅设计面临着性能和成本之间的权衡。最复杂的“主动座椅”减少了震动，但3500美元的价格让人望而却步。半主动座椅是简化的主动座椅，比被动座椅性能更好，但仍然放大输入振动，耗资数千美元。被动式座椅是最便宜的，但它们放大了低频输入振动。最近的设计/材料进步和强劲的初步数据为开发一种创新的被动座椅奠定了基础，这种座椅的成本只有半主动座椅的一小部分，将减少低频输入振动。第一阶段将展示使用滑动摩擦来减少低频振动的可行性。将建立一个QSAS原型，并用于在实验室和现场环境中展示潜力。技术挑战将涉及到材料的选择，以显示出最大的减振和消散，以及将缓冲与悬挂系统相结合，以处理坐着的人的重量。这项研究将确定在模拟现实操作条件的不同振动幅度和频率下的有效性能参数。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。