Helicopter Seat-Integrated Power Assist Device

Myriad studies have shown that the flight environment leads to warfighter fatigue, back pain, and long-term chronic injuries. While recent government investment has sought to address vibration in the environment, occupant posture and the weight of body-worn equipment remain prime factors in these issues. Since the 1970s, the weight of equipment loaded on an aviatorÆs torso has increased by 800% - nearly doubling the total mass supported by the occupantÆs lower back. Not only does this significantly increase the chances of acute injuries during extreme events, but the added weight combined with a helicopter pilotÆs typical posture leads to an inordinate amount of fatigue and long-term chronic injuries from normal flight operations. To this end, InnoVital Systems, Inc., has begun developing the lightweight and mechanically simple ōActiveSpineö system to off-load the occupantÆs spine by providing a secondary ōbackboneö to transmit the additional gear loading directly to the seat structure. The ActiveSpine has been shown to improve crash safety in a prior Army program and, in the proposed effort, the InnoVital team intends to improve upon the systemÆs design and demonstrate its benefits to crew endurance and wellness by improving seated posture and reducing lumbar musculoskeletal loading throughout normal flight conditions.