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

该项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力集中在一种新颖的座椅设计上，这种设计可以减少基于车辆的全身振动和冲击，将1)更好地保护人类健康，同时2)解决主要运输市场，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/陆上休闲车辆。预期的社会经济影响是显著的：持续暴露于全身振动和冲击会导致不适，降低工作表现，以及车辆操作员和乘客的慢性腰痛。腰痛是所有职业相关伤害中最大的致残因素。虽然所谓的“主动”座椅可以帮助减少这些振动/冲击，但其高昂的成本是主要障碍。这里所追求的低成本座椅将使数百万汽车运营商受益。这项工作也将导致对全身振动和冲击的来源/影响和潜在补救措施的更大的科学和技术理解。从2016年到2021年，悬架系统市场预计将以5.11%的复合年增长率增长。该市场预计将从2015年的523.8亿美元增长到2021年的672.2亿美元。到2022年，仅公共汽车座椅市场预计就将达到100.3亿美元。这项小型企业创新研究（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”可以减少震动，但价格高达3,500美元。半主动座椅是一种简化的主动座椅，其性能优于被动座椅，但仍会放大输入振动，成本高达数千美元。被动式座椅是最便宜的，但它们放大低频输入振动。最近的设计/材料进步和强有力的初步数据为开发一种创新的被动座椅奠定了基础，其成本仅为半主动座椅的一小部分，可以减少低频输入振动。第一阶段的可行性将通过滑动摩擦来减轻低频振动。将建立一个QSAS原型，并用于在实验室和现场环境中显示潜力。技术上的挑战将包括材料的选择，以显示最大的振动缓解和消散，以及缓冲与悬架系统的集成，可以承受一个坐着的人的重量。该研究将确定在不同振动幅度和频率下的有效性能参数，以模拟实际操作条件。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

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.