Y. Yao, S. Rakheja
Concordia University, QC, Canada
Keywords: Whole-body vibration, vibration-induced health issues, safety and confort, optimization design
Prolonged exposure to low-frequency vibrations in military aircraft poses significant health risks for pilots, such as neck strain, spinal misalignment, and cardiovascular problems. Chronic head vibration may also lead to neck and head disorders, vestibular dysfunction, fatigue, and discomfort. Surveys indicate that 70% of pilots suffer from lower back pain due to whole-body vibration, and 23% find it impedes their flying. Reducing seat-to-head effects and investigating localized forces at the body-seat interface are crucial for enhancing pilot health and operational safety. Many experiments and human-seat coupled models were studied, however, the mechanism causing these health problems due to whole-body vibration is not fully understood. This project aims to develop a reliable method for measuring the seat-to-head vibration transmissibility responses of the coupled head-worn system subject to whole-body vertical vibration at the seat and optimize the design of the seat using smart vibration control technology for effectively reducing the impact of vibrations through real-time monitoring and feedback adjustments. This project is vital for reducing vibration-related occupational diseases among military pilots, enhancing pilot comfort, extending their working years, and decreasing national compensation for work-related injuries.