Abstract: A seat system includes a base support structure having at least one flat seat support surface, a seat pan support structure movably coupled to the base support structure and having at least one contoured seat support surface, and a back rest support structure movably coupled to the base support structure. The back rest support structure includes a primary frame having at least one flat back support surface, and an articulating frame movably coupled to the primary frame and having at least one contoured back support surface. The seat system also includes a back rest cushion having an occupant-facing back rest surface, and an articulating arrangement of back rest cushion support members movably coupled together to define a bottom surface of the back rest cushion opposing the occupant-facing back rest surface.

Abstract: A seat system includes a base support structure having at least one flat seat support surface, a seat pan support structure movably coupled to the base support structure and having at least one contoured seat support surface, and a back rest support structure movably coupled to the base support structure. The back rest support structure includes a primary frame having at least one flat back support surface, and an articulating frame movably coupled to the primary frame and having at least one contoured back support surface. The seat system also includes a back rest cushion having an occupant-facing back rest surface, and an articulating arrangement of back rest cushion support members movably coupled together to define a bottom surface of the back rest cushion opposing the occupant-facing back rest surface.

Abstract: A seat system includes a base support structure having at least one flat seat support surface, a seat pan support structure movably coupled to the base support structure and having at least one contoured seat support surface, and a back rest support structure movably coupled to the base support structure. The back rest support structure includes a primary frame having at least one flat back support surface, and an articulating frame movably coupled to the primary frame and having at least one contoured back support surface. The seat system also includes a back rest cushion having an occupant-facing back rest surface, and an articulating arrangement of back rest cushion support members movably coupled together to define a bottom surface of the back rest cushion opposing the occupant-facing back rest surface.

Abstract: A reclining seat including, but not limited to, a seat bottom. The reclining seat further including, but not limited to, a seat back having an upper segment and a lower segment, the lower segment pivotally coupled with the seat bottom via a first pivotal coupling, and the upper segment pivotally coupled with the lower segment via a second pivotal coupling.

Abstract: A reclining seat including, but not limited to, a seat bottom; a seat back, a leg support, and an arm support forming a seat assembly. The seat assembly is configured to be supported on a floor surface and to move between an upright configuration and a flat configuration. The seat back and the leg support are transverse to the seat bottom, and the arm support is transverse to the seat back, when the seat assembly is in the upright configuration. The seat back, the seat bottom, the leg support and the arm support are each longitudinally aligned with one another when the seat assembly is in the flat configuration. An upper surface of the seat back, the seat bottom, and the leg support are each coplanar with one another and substantially coplanar with the arm support when the seat assembly is in the flat configuration.

Abstract: A reclining seat including, but not limited to, a seat bottom; a seat back, a leg support, and an arm support forming a seat assembly. The seat assembly is configured to be supported on a floor surface and to move between an upright configuration and a flat configuration. The seat back and the leg support are transverse to the seat bottom, and the arm support is transverse to the seat back, when the seat assembly is in the upright configuration. The seat back, the seat bottom, the leg support and the arm support are each longitudinally aligned with one another when the seat assembly is in the flat configuration. An upper surface of the seat back, the seat bottom, and the leg support are each coplanar with one another and substantially coplanar with the arm support when the seat assembly is in the flat configuration.

Abstract: A reclining seat including, but not limited to, a seat bottom. The reclining seat further including, but not limited to, a seat back having an upper segment and a lower segment, the lower segment pivotally coupled with the seat bottom via a first pivotal coupling, and the upper segment pivotally coupled with the lower segment via a second pivotal coupling.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for quantitatively measuring strain in an optical fiber. An optical source comprising an optical beam generator and a pulse generator receives instructions from a controller and generates a pulsed optical beam in response to those instructions. The pulsed optical beam is directed into an optical fiber to generate a reflected beam from scattering centers within the optical fiber. A detector records a plurality of frames of data generated by the reflected beam, and the controller tracks an evolution of a speckle pattern carried by the reflected beam from the plurality of frames and calculates a strain induced in a section of the optical fiber from the evolution of the speckle pattern.

Abstract: A seat system includes a base support structure having at least one flat seat support surface, a seat pan support structure movably coupled to the base support structure and having at least one contoured seat support surface, and a back rest support structure movably coupled to the base support structure. The back rest support structure includes a primary frame having at least one flat back support surface, and an articulating frame movably coupled to the primary frame and having at least one contoured back support surface. The seat system also includes a back rest cushion having an occupant-facing back rest surface, and an articulating arrangement of back rest cushion support members movably coupled together to define a bottom surface of the back rest cushion opposing the occupant-facing back rest surface.

Abstract: Method and apparatuses for acoustic sensing using an optical fiber are provide. An optical fiber sensor for acoustic sensing includes an optical fiber, a laser, a pump laser pulse generator, a probe laser pulse generator, a controller, and a detector. The pump laser pulse generator is configured to receive a laser beam, from the laser, and generate a pump laser pulse. Similarly, the probe laser pulse generator is configured to receive the laser beam and generate a plurality of probe laser pulses. The controller is constructed to control the pump laser pulse generator and the probe laser pulse generator to inject the pump laser pulse and the plurality of probe laser pulses, respectively, into the optical fiber at specific timings so as to generate a plurality of Brillouin gratings at a predetermined spacing. The detector is configured to receive reflected pump laser pulses from the plurality of Brillouin gratings, respectively, and provide the reflected pump laser pulses to the controller.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for quantitatively measuring strain in an optical fiber. An optical source comprising an optical beam generator and a pulse generator receives instructions from a controller and generates a pulsed optical beam in response to those instructions. The pulsed optical beam is directed into an optical fiber to generate a reflected beam from scattering centers within the optical fiber. A detector records a plurality of frames of data generated by the reflected beam, and the controller tracks an evolution of a speckle pattern carried by the reflected beam from the plurality of frames and calculates a strain induced in a section of the optical fiber from the evolution of the speckle pattern.

Abstract: Seat assemblies and methods for fabricating seat assemblies are provided. In one example, a seat assembly includes a seat base portion. A seat backrest portion is configured to extend substantially upright from the seat base portion. An armrest sub-assembly is configured to move between a stowed position that is one of substantially within and laterally adjacent to the seat backrest portion and an extended position that is generally forward of the seat backrest portion. At least a portion of the armrest sub-assembly translates along an incline relative to the seat base portion during movement from the stowed position towards the extended position.

Abstract: Method and apparatuses for acoustic sensing using an optical fiber are provide. An optical fiber sensor for acoustic sensing includes an optical fiber, a laser, a pump laser pulse generator, a probe laser pulse generator, a controller, and a detector. The pump laser pulse generator is configured to receive a laser beam, from the laser, and generate a pump laser pulse. Similarly, the probe laser pulse generator is configured to receive the laser beam and generate a plurality of probe laser pulses. The controller is constructed to control the pump laser pulse generator and the probe laser pulse generator to inject the pump laser pulse and the plurality of probe laser pulses, respectively, into the optical fiber at specific timings so as to generate a plurality of Brillouin gratings at a predetermined spacing. The detector is configured to receive reflected pump laser pulses from the plurality of Brillouin gratings, respectively, and provide the reflected pump laser pulses to the controller.

Abstract: Seat assemblies and methods for fabricating seat assemblies are provided. In one example, a seat assembly includes a seat base portion. A seat backrest portion is configured to extend substantially upright from the seat base portion. An armrest sub-assembly is configured to move between a stowed position that is one of substantially within and laterally adjacent to the seat backrest portion and an extended position that is generally forward of the seat backrest portion. At least a portion of the armrest sub-assembly translates along an incline relative to the seat base portion during movement from the stowed position towards the extended position.

Abstract: A ventilation system for ventilating a passenger compartment of an aircraft is disclosed herein. The ventilation system includes, but is not limited to, a nozzle that is adapted to be mounted proximate an interior of the aircraft and that is configured to direct a stream of air into the passenger compartment. The ventilation system further includes a valve that is spaced apart from the nozzle and positioned upstream of the nozzle, the valve configured to control a flow of air to the nozzle. The ventilation system still further includes a conduit that fluidly couples the valve to the nozzle. The conduit is configured to convey the flow of air from the valve to the nozzle.

Abstract: A ventilation system for ventilating a passenger compartment of an aircraft is disclosed herein. The ventilation system includes, but is not limited to, a nozzle that is adapted to be mounted proximate an interior of the aircraft and that is configured to direct a stream of air into the passenger compartment. The ventilation system further includes a valve that is spaced apart from the nozzle and positioned upstream of the nozzle, the valve configured to control a flow of air to the nozzle. The ventilation system still further includes a conduit that fluidly couples the valve to the nozzle. The conduit is configured to convey the flow of air from the valve to the nozzle.

Abstract: Various methods are described which increase the efficiency and accuracy of a signal processor in determining parameters of a fluid using signals output by a spatial array of sensors disposed along a pipe. In one aspect, parameters used for calculating the temporal Fourier transform of the pressure signals, specifically the amount or duration of the data that the windowing function is applied to and the temporal frequency range, are adjusted in response to the determined parameter. In another aspect, an initialization routine estimates flow velocity so the window length and temporal frequency range can be initially set prior to the full array processing. In another aspect, the quality of one or more of the parameters is determined and used to gate the output of the apparatus in the event of low confidence in the measurement and/or no flow conditions. In another aspect, a method for determining a convective ridge of the pressure signals in the k-? plane is provided.

Abstract: A solid state ambient temperature cell having a thin layer of an alkali or alkaline earth metal as anode, a thin layer of a solid ionic conductive electrolyte and a thin cathode layer of a metal or metalloid which can accommodate anode cations in the crystalline structure thereof. Such metals or metalloids include bismuth, arsenic, antimony, lead, tin, selenium or tellurium. The cell is dischargeable at high rates and is rechargeable.

Abstract: A system for the multiplex addressing of a colloidal light valve array. An array of individual sites or cells is made using a colloidal light valve (CLV) material which has a light transmission curve that is a function of the frequency of the applied potential across the site or cell. The array is generally defined by rows and columns of electrical conductors. The intersections of the rows and column define sites or are at individual cells. Any one site may be uniquely addressed by supplying this site with a high frequency electrical signal and a low frequency electrical signal during one time period and with two low frequency electrical signals during a second time period. Non-selected or non-addressed sites are supplied with combinations of high frequency and low frequency electrical signals during the two time periods to force the average light transmission valve of these nonselected sites to be the compliment of the average light transmission of the addressed site.