Seat/Bolster/Other

"A shock mitigating suspended seat which places the Special Forces Operator in an optimal ergonomic position will be developed for use in small Maritime Combatant Craft. It will feature an actively controlled shock absorber to optimize the suspension for abroad range of operator weights and sea states. In Phase I, a conceptual design of all the major components as well as the architecture for both control hardware and software will be developed. This will provide the basis for the detailed design andfabrication of a prototype system capable of withstanding extended proof of concept and feasibility testing in Phase II. Dynamic modeling will be used to predict system benefits and provide sensor and actuator requirements that will be used during thedesign process. The seat will be designed to fit into the same foot print as the current bolster system and will allow ease of rapid ingress and egress for the boat crew and operators. The seats will not interfere with craft performance or operator andboat crews duties. A cost/performance study will be conducted to determine the total system cost as well as the cost sensitivity to performance goals. The shock mitigating suspended seat will transmit much lower peak G-forces to the occupant during highspeed maneuvers than currently implemented systems. This will reduce occupant fatigue and injury and allow safer operation of the vehicle. By addressing cost of manufacturing, the ability t