Monitoring Occupant Posture Using a Standardized Sensor Interface with a Vehicle Seat

Car safety can be enhanced by enabling the Airbag Control Unit (ACU) to adaptively deploy different charges based on the occupant’s position once the crash occurs. In this context, monitoring the occupant’s position using a sensorized seat integrated with an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) offers a...

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Main Authors: Alberto Vergnano, Alessandro Pelizzari, Claudio Giorgianni, Jan Kovanda, Alessandro Zimmer, Joed Lopes da Silva, Hamed Rezvanpour, Francesco Leali
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Designs
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2411-9660/9/2/52
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author Alberto Vergnano
Alessandro Pelizzari
Claudio Giorgianni
Jan Kovanda
Alessandro Zimmer
Joed Lopes da Silva
Hamed Rezvanpour
Francesco Leali
author_facet Alberto Vergnano
Alessandro Pelizzari
Claudio Giorgianni
Jan Kovanda
Alessandro Zimmer
Joed Lopes da Silva
Hamed Rezvanpour
Francesco Leali
author_sort Alberto Vergnano
collection DOAJ
description Car safety can be enhanced by enabling the Airbag Control Unit (ACU) to adaptively deploy different charges based on the occupant’s position once the crash occurs. In this context, monitoring the occupant’s position using a sensorized seat integrated with an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) offers a practical and cost-effective solution. However, certain challenges still need to be addressed. The adoption of sensorized seats in research and vehicle set-up is still under consideration. This study investigates an interface device that can be reconfigured to suit almost any seat model. This reconfigurability makes it easily adaptable to new vehicles under development and applicable to any passenger seat in the vehicle. This paper details the device’s design, including its programming using calibration and monitoring features, which significantly improves its reliability compared to earlier prototypes. Extensive testing through real driving experiments with multiple participants demonstrated an accuracy range of 45–100%. The testing involved both drivers and passengers, showcasing the device’s ability to effectively monitor various in-car scenarios.
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spelling doaj-art-dfe11299d7544c80a92aa3aabba148532025-08-20T03:13:44ZengMDPI AGDesigns2411-96602025-04-01925210.3390/designs9020052Monitoring Occupant Posture Using a Standardized Sensor Interface with a Vehicle SeatAlberto Vergnano0Alessandro Pelizzari1Claudio Giorgianni2Jan Kovanda3Alessandro Zimmer4Joed Lopes da Silva5Hamed Rezvanpour6Francesco Leali7Enzo Ferrari Department of Engineering, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via P. Vivarelli 10, 41125 Modena, ItalyEnzo Ferrari Department of Engineering, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via P. Vivarelli 10, 41125 Modena, ItalyEnzo Ferrari Department of Engineering, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via P. Vivarelli 10, 41125 Modena, ItalyFaculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of West Bohemia in Pilsen, Univerzitní 22, 306 14 Plzeň, Czech RepublicAIMotion Bavaria, Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt, Esplanade 10, D-85049 Ingolstadt, GermanyAIMotion Bavaria, Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt, Esplanade 10, D-85049 Ingolstadt, GermanyEnzo Ferrari Department of Engineering, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via P. Vivarelli 10, 41125 Modena, ItalyEnzo Ferrari Department of Engineering, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via P. Vivarelli 10, 41125 Modena, ItalyCar safety can be enhanced by enabling the Airbag Control Unit (ACU) to adaptively deploy different charges based on the occupant’s position once the crash occurs. In this context, monitoring the occupant’s position using a sensorized seat integrated with an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) offers a practical and cost-effective solution. However, certain challenges still need to be addressed. The adoption of sensorized seats in research and vehicle set-up is still under consideration. This study investigates an interface device that can be reconfigured to suit almost any seat model. This reconfigurability makes it easily adaptable to new vehicles under development and applicable to any passenger seat in the vehicle. This paper details the device’s design, including its programming using calibration and monitoring features, which significantly improves its reliability compared to earlier prototypes. Extensive testing through real driving experiments with multiple participants demonstrated an accuracy range of 45–100%. The testing involved both drivers and passengers, showcasing the device’s ability to effectively monitor various in-car scenarios.https://www.mdpi.com/2411-9660/9/2/52occupant monitoringseating positionout-of-positionstandard interfacevehicle seatairbag
spellingShingle Alberto Vergnano
Alessandro Pelizzari
Claudio Giorgianni
Jan Kovanda
Alessandro Zimmer
Joed Lopes da Silva
Hamed Rezvanpour
Francesco Leali
Monitoring Occupant Posture Using a Standardized Sensor Interface with a Vehicle Seat
Designs
occupant monitoring
seating position
out-of-position
standard interface
vehicle seat
airbag
title Monitoring Occupant Posture Using a Standardized Sensor Interface with a Vehicle Seat
title_full Monitoring Occupant Posture Using a Standardized Sensor Interface with a Vehicle Seat
title_fullStr Monitoring Occupant Posture Using a Standardized Sensor Interface with a Vehicle Seat
title_full_unstemmed Monitoring Occupant Posture Using a Standardized Sensor Interface with a Vehicle Seat
title_short Monitoring Occupant Posture Using a Standardized Sensor Interface with a Vehicle Seat
title_sort monitoring occupant posture using a standardized sensor interface with a vehicle seat
topic occupant monitoring
seating position
out-of-position
standard interface
vehicle seat
airbag
url https://www.mdpi.com/2411-9660/9/2/52
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