– “Cabin 4.0” relies on state-of-the-art sensor technology
– Automation to simplify procedures

Lufthansa Technik AG’s “Cabin 4.0” project relies on the use of  intelligent automation to simplify procedures in the aircraft cabin  for both passengers and flight crews and to offer increased comfort.  For this purpose, tasks that have been performed manually so far will be taken over by state-of-the-art sensors, thus giving flight  attendants more time for personal service. With financial support  from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi),  development work inside a real cabin is now set to begin at the ZAL  TechCenter in Hamburg-Finkenwerder under the direction of Sven  Taubert, Corporate Innovation Manager at Lufthansa Technik. 

While digitalization is reaching more and more areas of our lives,  its impact on the procedures inside an aircraft cabin has been  minimal so far. In almost all passenger cars, for example, a sensor  verifies that the trunk is closed properly, but the baggage  compartments in an aircraft still have to be checked by the crew. 

“We don’t just want to replace the traditional reading lamp with LED  lighting that can be turned on and off with a smartphone. We want the reading lamp to recognize independently when the passenger opens a  magazine. If the passenger then decides to watch a film instead, the  same lamp could provide that information via optical transmission,”  says Sven Taubert to explain the concept. “This increases passenger  comfort and, at the same time, relieves the on-board WLAN networks.” 

In terms of other application examples, the project team is in close  contact with the different users in the cabin – from cleaning staff  and caterers to flight attendants, technicians and passengers. “To  get a better understanding of their needs, we slip into each of these roles ourselves for a while. Currently, we hardly have any data  available from inside the cabin. That is why our first step is to  take a close look at which cabin-related information is useful enough that it makes sense to collect it automatically. This allows us to  gain insights that will lead to the concrete development of new  systems and services.” 

Aerospace engineer Sven Taubert will be at the Lufthansa Technik  stand (Hall 6, Booth 6B80) at the Aircraft Interiors Expo from 4 to 6 April.  

Lufthansa Technik:

With some 35 subsidiaries and affiliates, the Lufthansa Technik Group is one of the leading providers of technical aircraft services in the world. Certified internationally as maintenance, production and  design organization, the company has a workforce of more than 25,000  employees. Lufthansa Technik’s portfolio covers the entire range of  services for commercial and VIP/special mission aircraft, engines,  components and landing gear in the areas of digital fleet support,  maintenance, repair, overhaul, modification, completion and  conversion as well as the manufacture of innovative cabin products.