Takei, Akitoshi (National Defense Academy), Fujiwara, Hiroyuki (National Defense Academy), Igarashi, Hiro (National Defense Academy)

Development and evaluation of electromagnetic suspension seats for blast mitigation in vehicles

Scheduled for presentation during the Regular Session "S06c-Safety, Sensing, and Infrastructure Design for Vulnerable Road Users" (WE-LA-T6), Wednesday, November 19, 2025, 16:00−16:20, Surfers Paradise 3

2025 IEEE 28th International Conference on Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITSC), November 18-21, 2025, Gold Coast, Australia

This information is tentative and subject to change. Compiled on October 19, 2025

Abstract

In recent years, improvised explosive devices (IEDs) have caused many casualties, especially in conflict zones. These simple powerful bombs are hard to detect due to their varied forms and hidden placements. While the number of victims has declined, around 6,000 casualties were reported in 2022. To reduce the impact on vehicles, countermeasures such as MRAP vehicles, detection sensors, and radio jamming systems are used. This study proposes an electromagnetic suspension seat system designed to protect occupants from blast injuries. The system works by detaching the seat when a shock is detected and absorbing the impact through cushioning. A scaled model was tested using a seesaw apparatus that simulated blast conditions. The results showed that the mechanism reduced the maximum acceleration transmitted to the human model below the injury threshold, although the seat separation time was slower than expected. These findings demonstrate the potential of the proposed system for occupant protection in blast scenarios.