With an ever expanding number of airlines competing in a rather cut-throat industry any little edge is fiercely guarded. Airbus, those guys who produce a range of aircrafts, are the single largest filers of patents with around 600 per year.

Some no doubt come to fruition and have become in-flight staples, although others haven’t yet taken to the skies. Here’s five of the stranger ones courtesy of BusinessInsider:

A cockpit without any windows

This patent, filed by Airbus in 2014, would completely redesign what the modern aeroplane cockpit looks like. Pilots would use a digital display to see their surroundings, removing any need for windows.

Seats which force you to talk to your neighbours

This is a design by French firm Zodiac for a more efficient and space saving seating plan on planes.

The HD31 is said to offer four more inches of legroom, and 15% more space between seats.

I think I can talk on behalf of most of us and say please, no, never to that one above – it’s awkward enough that my neighbours can see what I’m watching without them gazing into my eyes.

A backpack designed to let you get a good flight’s sleep

Created by Boeing, this patent for what the company calls a Transport Vehicle Upright Sleep Support System, is essentially a backpack attached to a standard aeroplane seat.

The idea behind the system is to let passengers get some sleep by leaning forwards and sleep on their face and chest, and is said to be far superior to using a neck pillow in order to sleep.

Virtual reality helmets to stop people getting too bored on long flights

Virtual reality helmets at every seat would, according to the patent, give passengers ‘sensorial isolation with regard to the external environment.’

The helmets feature headphones and an ‘opto-electronic’ screen to let passengers watch movies and listen to music.

Smart windows with touch screens

Boeing’s 787 may already have windows that can be dimmed or brightened, but this Airbus patent goes a step further and creates an interactive window, described as a ‘method for interactive visualisation of information in an aircraft cabin’.

The patent doesn’t specify exactly what the windows would be capable of doing, but according to the Skift they might allow passengers to learn all about landmarks you are flying over, and play music, all with a few taps on the window.

I would imagine competition for the window seat becoming far more stiff if that last one becomes a reality. I would dearly love a patent that has less seats on the plane so that we’re not crammed in like sardines, although I don’t see that coming to pass any time soon.

[source:businessinsider]