British scientists are working on an intelligent aircraft passenger seat that can help crews spot nervous terrorists or people at risk of deep vein thrombosis.
According to the New Scientist magazine, the device is being developed by engineers at QinetiQ, formerly part of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency, in Farnborough, Hampshire.
The seat contains pressure sensors linked to a computer to assess the occupant's behaviour.
It should be able to tell if a passenger has been sitting still for too long, raising the risk of DVT. A warning could then be flashed to the crew urging them to advise the passenger to take a walk.
The seat may also reveal if a passenger is in a state of high anxiety. A display could then discreetly alert the cabin crew to watch out for an individual who might have a fear of flying, or potentially be a hijacker or get involved in an air rage incident.
Additional sensors and analytical software may one day be able to distinguish between the nervous flyer and terrorist.
The New Scientist said: "The sensing seats are part of a bigger project to make airline cabins more friendly."
PA