Safe was awarded a Phase II SBIR program by the U.S. Navy/NAVAIR to continue development and design of a device that can measure rotorcraft dynamics to support objectives for improving crash safety and crash survival. The Crash Safety Data Recorder (CSDR) design will be completed to a level of detail suitable for building a prototype system that meets key requirements, including reliability and low cost, in a small package with limits of size and weight as specified by the Navy. Additional research includes development of the CSDR through Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6, which means product demonstration in a relevant environment.

Safe was awarded a Phase II SBIR program by the U.S. Navy/NAVAIR to continue development of a Passive Anti-Resonance (PAR) vibration isolator system that will isolate an entire helicopter crew seat at its floor attachments. The PAR vibration isolator will adjust automatically to limit displacement during inputs near the resonance frequency. It will address and improve the health risks, discomfort, and pain of military aircrew brought on by whole-body vibration in helicopters. The MH 60S rotorcraft pilot/co-pilot seat has been selected as the target platform for the initial system design and demonstration tests. However, the PAR system can be easily adapted to other platforms and/or seat positions.

Safe was awarded a Phase I SBIR program by the U.S. Navy/NAVAIR to develop a device that can measure rotorcraft dynamics to support objectives for improving crash safety. Two of the program’s technical objectives include developing a software algorithm that effectively discriminates between normal flight and crash conditions and specifying a hardware and software architecture that strikes a good balance of trades for a practical solution.

Safe was awarded this program’s continuation effort of SBIR Phases I and II under the United States Navy’s Topic N101-026, “Multi-Axis Vibration and Habitability Improvement for Seated Occupants.” The unique vibrations and flight characteristics of the E-2C/D aircraft cause significant crew discomfort, distraction, fatigue, and even pain. Safe will develop a new seat that will incorporate magnetorheological technology to help isolate the occupant from aircraft-generated vibrations and will optimize seating angles.

Safe was awarded a Phase I SBIR program by the U.S. Navy/NAVAIR to develop a thermoelectrically cooled seat cushion to improve aircrew mission endurance and effectiveness. Effective cooling will prevent heat stress by limiting mission durations and reducing the detriment to concentration on mentally demanding tasks that reduces mission effectiveness. Safe’s innovative design will also address complaints reported by aircrew over back pain, inadequate padding, and loss of sensation in the legs with existing seat cushions by distributing pressure more uniformly across the body.

Safe was awarded a Phase I SBIR program by the U.S. Navy/NAVAIR to develop a Passive Occupant Weight Relief (POWR) harness to lift the weight of the pilot’s survival vest and armor carrier off of the torso while operating the aircraft. Aircrew back pain is a significant factor affecting aircrew mission endurance and effectiveness and increasing costs for medical treatment and disability. A Design of Experiments (DOE) will be used to determine ability to balance upward load and aft load created by the harness. The POWR harness will not hinder egress and will not require any additional steps to egress.

Safe was awarded a Phase I SBIR program by the U.S. Navy/NAVAIR to address and improve the health risks, discomfort, and pain of military aircrew brought on by whole-body vibration in helicopters. Safe is developing a Passive Anti-Resonance (PAR) vibration isolator that will isolate an entire helicopter crew seat at its floor attachments. The PAR vibration isolator will adjust automatically to limit displacement during inputs near the resonance frequency.

Safe was awarded a program by the U.S. Navy/NAVAIR to produce 530 MH-60S Next Generation Gunner Seat Selectable Profile Energy Absorber (SPEA) production kits and 50 spare SPEA production kits, with tasks including fabrication, assembly, and source inspection.

Safe, Inc. was awarded a Phase II SBIR program from the United States Navy/NAVAIR, to further develop and design Safe’s proposed surface flotation device (raft) for an aviation mishap survivor. The lightweight, pocket-sized raft will be worn or carried on the aircrew without interfering with the aviator’s flight duties. Safe’s proposed design included auto-inflation, a method for easy survivor entry, and effective protection from exposure to cold water. The Phase II included computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling, inflator design revision, optimization through DOE with CO₂ and N₂O, delivery of three inflators, testing, and manufacturing.

Safe was awarded a Phase I SBIR program from the United States Navy to develop/design a single test rig with modular elements that can be reconfigured to address any rotor assembly or component. Safe designed hydraulic actuators that can be moved into different locations and orientations for any combination of centrifugal, bending, and torsion loads. The hydraulic system accommodates differing numbers of actuators and load ranges. The control and data acquisition software also reconfigure to operate one or many actuators at different loads, independently or in unison, while measuring strain and load data.