DESIGNING INCLUSIVE, ERGONOMIC AND SAFE HYPERLOOP SEATING Balvinder Kaur Dhillon Farah Ahmed Ali Dawoud Kritisha Rangmang Sophie Sadiatoonasa Biomedical Research Team Hyperlink, London, United Kingdom 0 7 th June 202 3 Abstract The Hyperloop system is a futuristic mode of transport with the potential to significantly alter long distance transport. A key feature of this system is that it travels through a vacuum tube using magnet ic levitation to reach high speeds. As it is crucial for the Hyperloop pod to be safe and comfortable for passengers to use for long distance travel, it is essential that effects of decelerations are explored. Through extensive research, a seating and seatbelt design is proposed along with the most appropriate materials for each design. For the seat design, fabric covering was chosen due as it is comfortable, durable and affordable. For the seatbelt, Nylon 6 was chosen as it absorbed the most energy under a force during deceleration. The designs are modelled using Computer Aided Design (CAD) and simulations using Abaqus are performed to decide which material is the most suitable for seatbelts. 1 Table of Contents Abstract ________________________________ ______________________ 1 Introduction ________________________________ _________________________ 2 Literature Review ________________________________ _____________________ 3 Methodology ________________________________ ________________________ 6 Results ________________________________ ______________________ 9 Discussion ________________________________ __________________________ 15 1. Design for seatbelt and seat ________________________________ __________ 15 2. Materials Selected ________________________________ ________________ 17 3. Comfortability and Feasibility ________________________________ ______ 19 4. Inclusivity and Diversity ________________________________ __________ 21 C onclusion ________________________________ __________________ 23 Appendix ________________________________ ___________________________ 24 Bibliography ________________________________ ________________________ 25 Introduction The Hyperloop is a revolutionary means of transport that has the potential to transform the way we travel by utilizing pods that move at high speeds via a sealed tube. By c ombining elements of high - speed rail and pneumatic tube technology, t he aim is to cr eat e a transportation system that is quicker and more efficient than existing forms of transportation such as cars, trains, and aircraft. The Hyperloop concept has sparked the curiosity of investors and transportation specialists all around the world. Nume rou s firms, such as Virgin Hyperloop, have built and tested their own versions of Hyperloop technology with the objective of making it a viable means of transportation in the future. Yet, like with any new technology or means of transportation, safety is of the utmost importance. The Hyperloop system has the potential to carry passengers at speeds of up to 1200km /h (Smriti Premsagar, 2022) , presenting ha zards and problems. As a result, it is critical to evaluate all available saf ety precautions to protect the safety of all passengers , for example children, elderly, pregnant women and passengers with various health conditions. T he design of the seats is an important aspect in maintaining passenger safety. If there is a n accident, i t will absorb part of the force exerted on the body (Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, n.d.) Seats must be built to protect passengers from unexpected movements and direction changes. The seats sh ould also provide enough support for passengers while travelling at high speeds, ensuring that they are comfortable during their journey. In addition, s eatbelts have been a standard safety component in all means of transportation for decades, and it stand s to reason that they should be considered an essential safety feature in the Hyperloop as well. They will be critical in assuring passenger safety in th e case of an unforeseen incident or an accident. Seatbelts in Hyperloop pods will provide an additional layer of safety for passengers, lowering the likelihood of injur ies, such as head and chest injuries , and death According to recent studies, they are 50% successful in preventing fatal driver injuries, 45% effective at preventing serious injuries, and 2 5% effective at preventing minor injuries. (Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, 2013) In this paper, the effects of deceleration on the human body are explored and the optimal design of seats and seatbelts in Hyper loop pods are assessed to provide passengers with 2 a safer travelling experience. T he concerns and challenges involved with the Hyperloop system, as well as how seatbelts and seat designs might reduce these risks and give passengers with a safe and enjoyabl e travelling experience will be investigated In the liter ature review section, seatbelt syndrome and the effects of decele ration are discussed , particularly in the Hyperloop context and how ergonomics, safety and anthropology are all significant areas to be considered when it comes to designing seatbelts and seats. In the methodology section, the primary aim of research is ex amined, and the different stages of research are reviewed. Literature Review Seatbelt syndrome, also known as seatbelt injury, re fers to a collection of common injury profiles associated with the use of seatbelts. These vary from bruising and abrasions caused by seatbelt placement, known as seatbelt symptoms, to intra - abdominal injuries and vertebral fractures (Huecker & Chapman ., 2022) This is frequently caused by rapid deceleration forces combined with lap belt compression across the abdomen. According to data, the incidence of seatbelt - induced injuries among restrained children in MVCs was 1.3%, whereas the prevalence of serious intra - abdominal injury (IAIs) was 0.21%. According to the only prospective multicentered study of restrained children in MVCs, the percentage of seatbelt and IAIs was 16% and 6.7%, respectively. Children aged 4 to 9 who di splay a seatbelt sign injury have a 9% to 21% chance of solid organ injury and an 11% to 25% risk of gastrointestinal (GI) harm. (Szadkowski & Bolte, 2017) The typical vehicle seat is made to provide head , back , thigh , buttock and leg support. The seat back (squab), seat base (cushion), and headrest are the three primary components of the majority of automobile seats. To make these parts comfortable for t he rider, polyurethane foam is typically used in their design. (EasyFoam, n.d.) Given that moving vehicles may transmit vibrations at frequencies close to the human spine's resonance frequency of 3 Hz, cushioning is very crucial (Bryan, 2000) to reduce ‘vibration discomfort’ which is related to the amount of vibration transmitted to the bodi es of passengers (Xiaolu Zhang, 2015) Vibrations at the thoracic resonance can induce sustained pain and f atigue (Martha E. Zeeman, 2015) Presently, little is known about its full effects and the types of pain, however, research shows that an increase in muscle activity was observed at resonant frequency which leads to muscle fati gue in the area which might lead to induce pain. (Baig, 201 4) 3 As the Hyperloop aims to transport passengers and freight at significant speeds, d eceleration is a key safety concern as passengers can sustain injury due to decele ration, called deceleration injury. A deceleration injury is the i mpact damage to a body within or upon a quickly moving body produced by the forces produced when the body comes to an abrupt halt. Deceleration injury can occur in vehicles travelling at a g reat speed when they abruptly halt or slow down, or when the occupants are expelled from the vehicle while it is running. (britannica, 1998) Some examples are when the forward momentum of organs causes the brain and the liver t o collide with the inner surface of the skull and chest wall respectively, causing injury (WANGXUN JIN, 2012 ) Shock, concussions, abrasions, sprains, skin tears, and internal organ ruptures can all occur during deceleration, as can broken bones, respiratory and circulatory arrest, haemorrhages, and organ damage. (britannica, 1998) Flui d displacement or tissue deformation can occur when exposed to deceleration forces for more than 0.2 second. If the duration of deceleration in a posture facing forward is shorter than 0.2 second, the maximum bearable deceleration force is 30 g. T his resul ts in a reduction in blood pressure, an increase in pulse rate, weakness, and skin pallor. (britannica, 1998) There have been multiple studies detailing the effects of varying levels of deceleration on the human body which exacerbates the negative effect. Deceleration forces that are applied for more than 0.2 second can produce fluid disp lacement or tissue deformation. The greatest endurable deceleration force is 30 g if the deceleration is in a forward - facing position and less than 0.2 second. This results in a decrease in blood pressure, an increase in pulse rate, weakness, and skin pall or (britannica, 1998) When wearing a three - point seatbelt, d uring rapid deceleration , cardiac damage is introduced due to the seatbelt exerting a force on the abdomen which obstructs the blood flow in the vena c ava and abdomi nal aorta. This exerts a force on the hear t , causing it to extend in the transverse direction which might cause cardiac pathology to be introduced by overstretching the muscles of the heart. ( ALFRED F. FASOLA, 1955) This highli ghts the reason why deceleration is a major concern for passengers in the Hyperloop and why it is crucial to design seatbelts that are suitable for use in the Hyperloop system. Safety is usually the top priority for manufacturers, although comfort is also important. Manufacturers compete with one another to be seen as the most luxurious and to establish the benchmark for ergonomic seat design. Consumers place a high value on comfort since back discomfort affects 5% of people at any given moment and affects 60 – 75% of people at some point throughout their lives. (Bryan , 2 000) Poor posture and mobility can cause local mechanical stress on the muscles, ligaments, and joints, resul ting in neck, back, shoulder, wrist, and other musculoskeletal system issues. (Jan Du l, 2001) There are several consequence s for sitting in a non - ergonomic seat such as : poor blood circulation to one’s shoulder , legs and back The implementation of ergonomic seating would support the natural posture reducing stress on the body, as well as encouraging proper alignment of the hips, spine and shoulders. Thus, there would be a reduction in abnormal strain on the body , ultimately pre venting harmful posture positions, such as forward head and slouching (Wa rd, 2023) E nsuring firm support from seats for the lumbar region of the back can provide a solution to recreat e the spine’s curve from long periods of si tting with poor posture, which flattens the spine’s S - shaped structure. (Pawsey, 2015) 4 Ergonomics is the process of creating or organising workplaces, products, and systems such that t hey suit the user population. It is a branch of science that seeks to understand human capacities and limits to enhance people's interactions with goods, systems, and settings. As technology evolves, so does the need to ensure that the tools we use for wor k, relaxation, and fun are intended to meet our bodies' requirements. (Dohrmann Consulting, 2014) Adopting a posture, performing an action, and exerting force all require the muscles, ligaments, and joints of the body. Muscles supply the force required to assume a posture or perform a movement. Ligaments, on the other hand, provide an auxiliary functi on, whereas joints allow for the relative mobility of distinct bodily components. One important part of creating ergonomic products is anthropometry data. Anthropo m etry is the study of the dimensions and proportions of the human body As there are a wide variety of people in the world and cons equently, a wide variety of anthropometric data, the user population , which is a group of people for whom a product is intended for, must be decided. When designing chairs or seats, the potential user population must be considered in designing comfortable, safe and ergonomic seats hence highlighting the significance of anthropometric data. This will aid in recognising the needs, preferences and constraints of the user population and c reate a seat design that is effective, efficient and user - friendly. The me asurement s of individuals in a population follow a normal distribution curve ( Fig 11) (Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers, n.d.) where most individuals are near the middle, known as the average as majority of the pop ulation have similar dimensions. A few may be taller or wider and a few may be shorter and leaner. (Joey Alvares, n.d.) Anthropometric data can be divided into percentiles . A percentile is a v alue below which a percentage of d ata falls. The average is called the fiftieth percentile, often written as ‘50 th %ile’ The extremes used in anthropometry are the fifth percentile ‘ 5 th % tile’ , which is the lowest extreme, and ninety - fifth percentile ‘95 th %tile’ , which is the hi ghest ext reme (Joey Alvares, n.d.) Percentiles provide a means to quantify and compare the proportions of different populations and are a crucial tool in the process of designing products With the use of anthropo metry, the most optima l dimensions of the seat design will be constructed based on varying percentiles , such as 5 0 th percentile for most dimensions but 95 th percentil e , to fit the majority of the population ensuring that the majority will find the seat comfortable and safe. It is proposed that there is unnecessary injury and loss of life as a r esult of impact with r igid structures in cabin/cockpit surroundings and existing seats, which can be avoided by improved seat design incorporating deglottalization, particularly in seat arms, seatbacks , and rigid structures in and under the seat - back (J.J. Swearingin, 1962) 5 M ethodology The primary aim of this research is to design a suitable seat and seatbelt consisting of all the essential criteria such as comfort and security. The designs must be inclusive to all types of passengers such as c hildren and pregnant women while including the appropriate features, such as headrests and lumbar support, to always keep passengers safe and comfortable. The research began with investigating the effects of normal braking and emergency braking on the huma n body which was done by analysing the effects on other modes of transportation with similar concepts, such as cars and planes. Following that, a decision matrix was constructed to aid us in ranking the elements of the seat and seatbelt designs according t o priority (Table 1). Research about different materials and crucial aspects of the seat design were decided. Simulations were then conducted to examine the forces acting on the body and to determine the safety and effectivenes s of the seatbelt design. In the first stage of the research, the effects of normal braking and emergency braking on the human body was investigated. Further research was established with the emergency braking force to identify an appropriate value for the force dissi pated by the hyp erloop seatbelt during deceleration A deceleration value of 9.81 ms - 2 was selected and a deceleration time 47.2s was calculated from the current top speed of existing Hyperloop which is 463 km/h (Fever, 2019) This was achiev ed by using Newton’s Second Law of Motion, F = ma, multiplying the selected weight s of the passenger s multiplied by deceleration (9.81 ms - 2 ). The second phase of the research consisted of the construction of the decision matrix, researching the potentia l suitable materials and identifying the key aspects of the seat design. The decision matrix consisted of the following elements: comfort, safety, cost, environmental impact and ergonomics (Table 1 in appendix ). A decision matr ix not only assists in ranking elements i n the order or prioritization which can be a guide when making complex decisions, but it also assists in deciding which elements are key elements. The seating and seatbelt design aspects were prioritised in the orde r of safety, ergonomics, comfort, cost an d environmental impact As the top priority is the safety of passengers, safety carried the most weightage compared to the rest of the factors. Next came ergonomics as seats should provide appropriate support for different postures and movements. Following that, comfort held the 3 rd greatest weightage as passengers will be sitting on the seat for extended periods of time and hence, should be seated comfortably to enhance their experience. Cost came 4 th as the Hyperloop should be kept as affordable as possib le 6 The aspect of ergonomics was incorporated into the seat design by constructing the seat to give adequate support to the natural curvature of the spine by having a lumbar support and by having arm rests to reduce strain on the arms and shoulders while giving the arms a natural position to rest. Elements of the seat design were built with different percentiles in mind for different elements to maximise the comfort of the seat design. An example would be that t he armrests were designed with the 50 th perce ntile ( Fig ure 11) in mind, with the majority of the population being around that percentile, so that most of the passengers are comfortable and satisfied with the position of the armrests . However, the seat width was decided with the 95 th percentile in mind to ensure that most passengers could fit in the seats. To keep the costs low, a suitable and affordable seat cover material was chosen U sing GRANTA Edupack and other resources, research was carried out to determine the potential suitable materials to be utilised in the designs. The potential material to be used for seat covers were researched and it was narrowed into four groups of materia ls: fabric, leather and vinyl. T he advantage s and disadvantages for using each material for seat covers were listed ( T ables 2,3 &4 in appendix ) and weighed out and it was decided that fabric would be the best option for seat covers as it is comfortable, durable and affordable. The third phase of the research was a review of existing seatbelt designs, followed by the creation of one that was regarded to be the best , that was safe and comfortable for all groups of passengers The investigation of seatbelts in cars, trains, and motor vehicles was part of the research on traditional seatbelts used in regular and high - speed vehicles, ta king into account all prior studies of related modes of transportation as well as potential problems and solutions. The most preva lent type of seatbelt, which is the 3 - point seatbelt was first looked at. The 3 - point seatbelt was compared to higher point se atbelt such as 4 - point. When compared to 3 - point seatbelts, 4 - point seatbelts appeared to load the body differently biomechanicall y. The 4 - point belt appeared to redistribute weight to the clavicles and pelvis and to lessen the traction of the shoulder bel t across the chest, resulting in a two - fold reduction in chest deflection. A 5 to 500 - fold reduction in the risk of thoracic injur y is correlated with this. (Rouhana SW, 2003) In addition, the benefit of a 4 - point seat belt is that it spreads the impact forces across a larger portion of the chest, relieving strain on the ribs, heart, and lungs (Volvo, 2003) Similarly, 5 - point harnesses are safer than 3 - point ones because they have extra hip straps t hat assist disperse the impact of a collision. This is crucial because a lot of force is transferred from the harness to the body (Good Egg Safety, 2014) 7 The materials typically utilised for seatbelts in traditional vehicles are nylon filament yarn and polyester filament yarn due to their desirable properties of excellent resistance to abrasi on, smooth and comfortable finish, and high strength tenacity Seatbelts constantly experience friction and wear during use hence, the abrasion resistance aids it in maintaining its durability over time and ensures that the seatbelt remains strong and reliable. Since seatbelts are constantly used by passengers, a smooth and comfortable finish is a requirement to ensure that the material d oes not irritate the pass enger’s skin, making the seatbelt comfortable to use. The strength of the material is important for a seatbelt as it needs to withstand great forces without breaking or stretching excessively. Therefore, it is crucial that the seat belt material has high st rength tenacity to keep passengers safe. For lap bar restraint seat belts, generally made of a padded solid material that would be worn around the back of a rider’s neck, and travel down the front of their chest ending around the end of their torso (Alexa ndra D. Kaplan, 2019). This ensures safety of the passenger at large decelerations which is applicable to the hyperloop seating structure as the seating needs to ensure passengers are safe during normal and emergency braking. It was decided that the main priorities of the seatbelt buckles are that they should be able to withstand the forces that the passenger’s body exert on them during deceleration an d that they should be easy and convenient to use. Several different buckle desi gns , such as tongue buckle, G - Hook b uckle , push buckle and car seat buckle, were reviewed for individual parts of the seatbelt design and the most appropriate one was selected. For the chest harness, side release buckles were chosen as the most suitable ty pe of buckle as they are easy to use , secure , adjustable and durable. For the lap belts, the lift lever buckle was chosen for the same reasons, with the add itional reason of being thoroughly tested for safety in the aviation industry and have an establishe d r ecord of dependability. 8 R esults Fig 1: Front and angled view of seat design Fig 2: Side and back view of seat design 9 Fig 3: Headrest when it is fol ded Fig 4: Front and angled view of seat belt design 1 0 Fig 5: Front and angled view harness buckles Fig 6: Lap belt design 1 1 Fig 9: Angled and side view of rear facing seat. Fig 7: Lap belt buckle design Fig 8: Belt length adjusters design 1 2 Table 1 1 : Weights, Forces and Materials used for Abaqus Simulations and their corresponding Maximum Strain energy achieved Weight (kg) Force (N) Maximum s train energy (mJ) Kevlar 49 Kevlar 29 Nylon 6 Polyester 55 539.55 1.80E+13 3.30E+13 5.20E+14 3.48E+14 70 686.70 2.91E+13 5.34E+1 3 8.42E+14 5.63E+14 85 833.85 4.30E+13 7.87E+13 1.24E+15 8.30E+14 100 981.00 5.95E+13 1.09E+14 1.24E+15 1.15E+15 115 1128.15 7.86E+13 1.44E+14 2.27E+15 1.52E+15 Weight (kg) Force (N) Maximum s train energy (mJ) Kevlar 49 Kevlar 29 Nylon 6 Polyester 55 539.55 1.80E+13 3.30E+13 5.20E+14 3.48E+14 70 686.70 2.91E+13 5.34E+1 3 8.42E+14 5.63E+14 85 833.85 4.30E+13 7.87E+13 1.24E+15 8.30E+14 100 981.00 5.95E+13 1.09E+14 1.24E+15 1.15E+15 115 1128.15 7.86E+13 1.44E+14 2.27E+15 1.52E+15 Fig 10: Angled viewpoints of 5 - point seat belt. 1 3 Discussion 1. Design for s eatbelt and seat A particular focus of this research regarding H yperloop seating is to ensure the seating is ergonomic as well as inclusive . This can be considered an d incorporat ed through examining the anatomical effects of braking as well as the natural motion of the body when seated in the H yperloop. This will aid identification of the forces acting on the body, and the anatomic regions impacted to design and the ar chitecture o f the seating to be safe and ergonomic. When referring to the anatomical effects, this encompasses the major impact s of incidences, such as crash es, which at high speed can damage soft organs The significance of ergonomic seating is to design a seating st ructure which supports the body, keeps passengers safe, and creates a comfortable experience. To create an ergonomic and comfortable seat design, it was crucial to add ergonomic elements that supported the body which, consequently, woul d make it comfortab le. One such element was the lumbar support ( Figure 1 & 2 in appendix ) As mentioned in the literature review , ensuring solid lumbar support from seats can help to restore the spine's curvature after lengthy periods of sitting with b ad posture, which f lattens the spine's S - shaped structure. (Pawsey, 2015) Maintaining proper posture is more difficult without the lumbar support. The lumbar spine and lower back muscles must work harder to sustain the natural curvature and align ment. When one sits for an extended amount of time, the muscles that maintain the spine in place grow weak. A seat with adequate lumbar support will keep the muscles that surround the spine from becoming overused. (Yashar, n.d.) Hence a lumbar support design was incorporated into the seat design. Another ergonomic element was armrests. Armrests (as seen in Fig ure 1 & 2 in appendix ) provide excellent support for your arms and hands as they assist in guiding both the arms and hands into a relaxe d position, relieving muscular tension that occurs when they are not in the proper position. They also relieve tension on the shoulders and ne ck, which helps to ease neck and shoulder discomfort. (Back2, n.d.) Additionally , a rm rests decrease spine loads by around 10% of the passenger 's body weight and relieve pressure on the soft tissues and the back by supporting pa rt of the weight that would otherwise be sustained by the torso . Furthermore, a rmrests make it easier to get out o f a chair by reducing the force (hip moment) by half hence, they can assist passengers to get up faster and easier . Loads are passed to the kn ees and hips while rising from a chair, just as they are when ascending steps. These loads might be especially bur densome for people who have temporary or chronic health issues highlighting the fact that the extra support provided by armrests is essential and inclusive. (Rani Lueder, Paul Allie, 1999) 1 4 As the seatbelt design is meant to be i nclusive, pregnant women w ere also taken into consideration. A paper was written that described a case of total uterine transection caused by seat belt injuries. It evaluated that seatbelts that goes across abdomen are unsafe for pregnant ladies because, w hen decelerating, seatbelts g oing across the abdomen exerts pressure on the uterus, causing injury to the uterus or the foetus. Foetal death can occur due to cerebral haemorrhage, placental separation, or maternal shock. (R. DALE McCORMICK, 1968) Therefore , it was decided that the regular 4 - point or 5 - point seatbelts were mentioned in the M ethodology section were unsuitable as seatbelt designs , as both designs had belts that went around the abdomen. The paper mentioned that a se atbelt design consisting of a lap belt and shoulder harness would be safe for pregnant woman as nothing would be obstructing the abdomen and as stated before, the seatbelt design should be inclusive for all groups of passengers, including pregnant woman. T herefore, it was concluded th at a lap belt combined with a shoulder harness should be the design of Hyperloop seatbelts ( Fig ure 4 in appendix ). This will enable all types of passengers to remain comfortable and safe, with no damage to their body during normal and emergen cy braking. Another ergonomic element that was designed is the headrest ( as seen in Fig 1,2 &3) . The primary benefit of using a headrest on a chair is to relieve neck strain and allow the passenger to recline their chair. By relieving the strain on the nec k and head, a headrest enable s the passenge r to rest their head comfortably. For those who have neck and shoulder problems, they are very helpful. A headrest enables the passenger to unwind their neck and shoulder muscles, which enhances blood circulation. (McAdams, 2022) Furthermore, being able to sit while reclining is essential for passengers who have ongoing musculoskeletal problems or injury hence, having an ergonomic seat with headrest support will make it more comfortable for these passengers to o. (Concept Seating, 2021) The headrest was made to be adjustable (Fig 3) so that it can be tailored to the passengers needs as, w ith adjustable headrests, the passenger may customise the headrest's heig ht to suit their demands , which will improve the headrest's capacity to support the passenger's head and lessen strain and weariness on lengthy journeys. Due to increased support, adjustable headrests can also aid in preventing head and neck injuries. The headrest may be adjusted by passengers to suit their unique requirements and tastes, making the trip more pleasant for them. Additionally, the adjustable wings of the headrest provides the illusion of greater privacy and provides support if passengers want to sleep during their t ravel. (Drescher, 2017) Additionally, seatbelt length adjusters were added to the harness part of the seatbelt so that passengers can adjust the length of the harness for a snugger and more comfortable f it , depending on their height , body type and such anthropometrics. 15 2. Materials Selected T he primary function of a seatbelt is to protect the passengers by absorbing the kinetic energy during deceleration. When the Hyperloop is moving, both the pod and the p assengers contain kinetic energy due to their motion. During deceleration, the passenger s’ bodies continue to move forward due to inertia however, to slow down, the kinetic energy in the passengers’ bodies must be transferred elsewhere. As the Hyperloop decelerates, the kinetic energy from the passengers is transferred to the seatbelt as the body of the passengers exert forces on the seatbelt. This causes the seatbelt to stretch and deform, hence absorbing the energy produced by the passengers’ inertia. T his mechanism allows the seatbelt to convert the kinetic energy into strain energy, which is stored in the seatbelt, cushioning the impact forces of deceleration that were transmitted onto the passengers. As strain energy is proportional to the amount of k inetic energy absorbed, using Abaqus, simulations of seatbelts with varying materia ls and weight of passengers were performed This enabled the behaviour of seatbelts, made from various materials , and the behaviour under different loads to be studied which were used to determine the most appropriate material that seatbelts in the Hyperlo op should be made from . The materials selected were the most commonly used materials for seatbelts, Kevlar 49, Kevlar 29, Nylon 6, Polyester The density, Young’s Modulus a nd Poisson’s ratio were considered (table 6 ). In table 1 1 (in results section ), the values for the largest maximum strain energy under each passenger weight were highlighted. Larger maximum strain energy meant that more kinetic energy was being absorbed by the seatbelts and transferred into strain energy. Nylon 6 had the most values highlighted which means that it would be the most appropriate seatbelt material as it absorbed the most amount of energy. Seating is key to the H yperloop. Seats are required t o be customisable and adjustable to individuals with different needs to reduc e the likelihood of musculoskeletal injuries and additionally prevent slouching and forward head posture ( BTOD, 2023) Seat covers for public transpor t are required to be operated for long term use, thus they must have high abr asion, UV degradation and flammability resistanc e s to ensure durability and good preservation of appearance ( Çeken & Pamuk, 2006) Current seating cov ers in vehicles, such as public transport methods or cards use nylon and polyester fabrics as mentioned in the Methodology. Upon the comparison of fabric, leather and vinyl materials, it was concluded that fabric would be the final material choice for H ype rloop seat covers. In this case, the fabric must also display high resist ance to pilling and crocking. Key character istic s of fabrics are that they are comfortable , durable and supportive t o individuals of different health conditions in any extreme s of we ather . This is particularly useful during the summer months, which cause vinyl and leather car seats to incre ase in temperature and provide discomfort to passengers 1 6 (SIMONIZ, 2020) Despite fabric seats being prone to stains, t he advantages of this material for enhancing the ergonomics of seating fo r all types of individuals outweighs the possible disadvantages. However, if upon the occasion the fabric stains, this material is easier to clean and maintain compared to leather and vinyl materials. S uch materials for the seat and seat belt would be appl ied to adult and infant seating 1 7 3. Comfortability and Feasibility In the discussion of the feasibility and comfortability of seat ing , we must consider when seatbelts are utilised in the total journey on the H yperloop. The purpose of seatbelts is to prevent and reduce injuries sustained in crashes. Regarding the seatbelts utilised in cars, and methods of public transport, such as buses, and trains, it is evident that cars are more likely to collide with other vehicles. Hence, seatbelts must be utilise d for the entirety of the journey , whereas trains and planes implement seatbelts for certain sections of the journey. In cars, seatbelts are required, and advantageous as sudden collisions are likely, and they can be violent and affect the passenger s. In planes, due to sudden air turbulence, seating restraints are required for part of the journey to ensure safety of passengers. In trains, however, seatbelts are not utilised as there are safety control systems specifically implemented to prevent any c ollisions and ensure a smooth journey (Ciancio Ciancio Brown P.C, 2019) Further to this, due to their large mass, trains will rarely decelerate as fast as cars when they encounter something, meaning seatbelts are not required. Taking these factors into consideration, seatbelts should be required in the H yperloop due to large deceleration forces during emergency braking however they are not required for the entirety of the journey as the mass of the H yperloop is comparable to th at of a train and safety systems will be implemented. Although a 3 - point system is commonly used in cars, only 4.3% of passengers can correctly use them (Acar, et al., 2017 ) (Acar, et al., 2017 ) Such seatbelt misuse is the key reason why accidental death, disability and placental abruption occur in pregnant women, due to automobile collisions. A proposal for a lap belt to be used as a seatbelt was abandoned , as it was only reducing the injury rate s of frontal and side impacts by 23% and 40% respectively (Observatory, 2013) (Observatory, 2013) A shoulder harness used in conjunction with the lap belt ensure s a higher protection against collision. This combinative design can reduce seri ous i njuries to the head, neck, and upper torso of aircraft occupants; it has the potential to reduce fatalities of occupants. These trends can then be replicated into the Hyperloop seatbelt. The additional components of the Hyperloop seatbelt s provide co mfort ability and feasibility of travel for infant s alongside the use of child restraint systems. Research was conducted upon the use of two types of seat restraints: rear and front facing devices. Such child restraint devices are imple men ted to ensure the safety of children of varying weights and heights on public transport. Predominantly, it is advised that rear - facing child restraints should be used for children up to at least four years old in both height - based and weight - based seats; f ront - facing seat u se is encouraged when the child surpasses a weight of 9kg (Department For Transport, 2019) . Upon further investigation, it was identified that rear facing seats were ideal to ensure the safety of infant passeng ers of up to four years compared to front facing seats. Such young individuals were 75% less like to suffer from a fatal accident or serious injury. Additionally, children of the ages two or younger are five times more safer riding in transport in a rear f acing seat, compar ed to front facing (Bull & Durbin, 2008) Hence, the rear facing seats are key and should be used on 1 8