Chairholders
Profile
Fengfeng (Jeff) Xi
Department of Aerospace Engineering
Ryerson University
Chair title
NSERC/Bombardier Industrial Research Chair in Advanced Interiors and Systems
Chair program
Industrial Research Chairs program
Role
Senior Chairholder since 2019
Summary
Business aircraft are designed to provide an environment of maximum comfort for their occupants during extended air travel. Passengers are increasingly demanding more personalized comfort and integrated features as new technologies for aircraft cabins become available. Bombardier is a leader in product development for business aircraft and is partnering with Ryerson University to evaluate and commercialize new technologies to provide personalized cabin interiors. The customer environment can be enhanced through the use of smart sensors, cabin lighting and advanced cabin materials. This development includes research into technologies to reconfigure seats so they can accommodate multiple body sizes and shapes, and into flexible approaches to transform the interior into customized zones for rest, storage, communication and other customer needs. The reconfiguration technology must also accommodate other new technologies that can enhance the environment in the cabin interior.
The objective of this Industrial Resarch Chair (IRC) is to spearhead a research program that will help establish a world-class centre for research into aircraft cabin interiors as a key element of the Toronto Downsview Aerospace Innovation and Research (DAIR) Hub. The research under this IRC program will address the fundamental issues of personalizing cabins and integrating technology in the context of passenger travel comfort. The IRC program will emphasize the generation of innovative mechatronics engineering solutions for cabin interiors.
The approach under this IRC program will progress through three levels:
- Exploring reconfiguration methods at the design stage
- Investigating the application and integration of advanced technologies in the cabin environment at the production stage
- Examining the comfort effect at the service stage
This proposed approach aims to facilitate the direct transfer of research results to Bombardier and its suppliers, resulting in the commercialization of intellectual property.
Furthermore, the research program and centre to be established under this IRC will create a fertile environment for the training of highly qualified personnel (HQP), who will become the key workforce to carry out future research and development in this emerging area of aerospace engineering.
Partner
- Bombardier
Contact information
Department of Aerospace Engineering
Ryerson University
Toronto, Ontario
Email: fengxi@ryerson.ca
Website:
https://www.ryerson.ca/news-events/news/2019/01/smart-planes/
