Lufthansa Technik has miniaturised the technology behind its award-winning Hidden Touch Display to create a new form of user interface integration in aircraft cabins. The ‘Nice Intellitable’ for the first time blends high-definition touchscreen functionality directly into the haptic surface of a folding tray table. Its smart and intuitive display functions appear only on the passenger’s request and vanish into the thin foldable surface when no longer needed.

The Nice Intellitable is a strategic further development of Lufthansa Technik’s Hidden Touch Display, which earlier this year won a Red Dot Design Award. The technology fuses high-quality look-and-feel surfaces with interactive functionality for aircraft cabins. Customisable for surface appearances such as wood, carbon fibre or metal, all control interfaces can blend into the interior design, providing an intuitive yet optically and haptically refined control experience.

Compared with the wall-mounted predecessor, the fully customisable table widens the scope of integrated control functionality. The current demonstrator incorporates flight information, a moving map, seat adjustment, a food and beverage preview and ordering system, music and video content players, and a flipping book for digital magazines. When the table is needed for dining, all hidden-touch functions can be switched off or minimised to a space-saving design at the edge. The surface is resistant to spilled fluids and to mechanical forces from silverware or other hard items.

“Sometimes, there seems to be a disconnect between how airlines and VIP operators design their control solutions and how their passengers actually interact with the cabin environment,” says Andrew Muirhead, Lufthansa Technik’s vice president, original equipment and special aircraft services. “To get rid of traditional control interfaces, which sometimes can feel bulky and outdated, we are permanently rethinking how technology integrates with interior design, creating more cohesive and natural interactions,. The Nice Intellitable exemplifies this approach, redefining VIP, but also commercial business or first class cabins, through more intuitive and seamless technology that puts both passenger experience and airline needs at the centre.”

Earlier this month, Lufthansa Technik also launched a dedicated upgrade programme for the Airbus ACJ318 Elite, offering a suite of cabin modernisations for the smallest VIP type in the A320 family. The package covers optical refurbishments such as new veneers, carpets and upholstery, as well as full replacement options for inflight entertainment and connectivity systems, including high-definition screens, a modernised cabin management system and ACJ’s Low Earth Orbit satcom solution. The programme is intended to update aircraft originally delivered between 2007 and 2015 and ensure continued relevance in the VIP market.