POSTA - Seat Transfer Assist

‘POSTA’ - Seat Transfer Assist, is a device that aids in the transfer of a reduced mobility passenger into their seat. It eliminates any lifting or strenuous physical work that can be seen with current methods used today.

The POSTA uses a series of guide rails that allow the passenger to slide onto their seat with ease. The guide rails act as a ‘bridge’ to support the passenger while being transferred. The airline seat itself, features a modified seat base to allow the cushion to lock into place and secure the passenger into the seat.
The device is similar to a wheelchair in that it is pushed by a carer, however, it utilises swivel castors instead of larger spoked wheels - this is to increase needed mobility inside an aircraft cabin. The POSTA is designed to be stored onboard the aircraft and its size varies depending on the aisle widths of the cabin. The aim of the POSTA is to reduce the time and effort required to board an aircraft, and to ultimately increase disabled air travel as a result.

Project along with full scale model will be on display at Monash University - Caulfield Campus, Melbourne
Building G, 900 Dandenong Rd, Caulfield East
When: Friday 22 November – Friday 6 December 2013
Hours: 10am – 6pm, Monday to Saturday

The main feature of the POSTA is the sideways transfer function. Without lifting the passenger, the seat slides across and locks into the modified frame of the aisle seat. The smooth transition is achieved with the use of guide rails and special rollers underneath the seat cushion. The guide rail acts as a bridge once it is flipped down and secured into the modified seat base. It then supports the cushion and passenger as they slide across onto the seat.

Once across, the guide rail is detached from the device and inserted underneath the cushion for as long as the passenger is seated. The device can then be folded up and stowed away in an onboard compartment.

When it is time to disembark, the guide rail can eject via the spring-loaded mechanism in the armrest when lifted; this mechanism also unlocks the seat cushion from the frame. The guide rail can then be attached to the device and the passenger can slide across. The guide rail is again retracted vertically and the passenger is wheeled off the aircraft.

As well as utilising the sideways transfer, the POSTA is also able to transfer backwards into the seat. This may be the case onboard certain aircraft where the cabin layout and seat arrangement make it ideal to perform a backwards transfer rather than a sideways transfer. The design allows for the backwards transfer onto any seat given there is sufficient clearance in front of it.

As with the sideways transfer, the seat frame would have to be modified to allow for the guiderail located behind the backrest to be locked into place. The movement is similar to the conventional sideways transfer in that rollers underneath the seat cushion help guide it into the aircraft seat. The seat can then be locked and secured through a mechanism in the moveable armrest (or any other lever the seat manufacturer has installed).

The advantage of the backwards transfer is to give the flight staff different options to transfer the passenger. It might be more convenient to transfer backwards due to added legroom or other obstructions that would interfere with a sideways transfer.

It also allows passengers to be seated in business or first class where the only way to be transferred is backwards due to fixed arm rests and increased legroom. Of course the seat cushion would also have to be modified so that it conforms to the design of the device.