Motorsports drivers spend prolonged periods in constrained seated postures while wearing protective fire suits that are often developed around conventional standing-body measurements. This project explored how the unique ergonomic demands of driving could be incorporated into the design and development of a motorsports fire suit through a combination of ergonomic assessment, 3D apparel technology, and physical prototyping. Working with collegiate Formula SAE drivers, I measured shoulder, elbow, hip, and knee joint angles while participants assumed their normal driving positions. These measurements were translated into a representative posed avatar in Browzwear VStitcher, which then served as both a design reference and virtual fitting tool throughout the pattern development process.

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Using this posture-informed workflow, I developed a fire suit incorporating pre-shaped elbows and knees, stretch panels, and other construction features intended to support mobility within the seated driving position. The design process combined virtual simulation and iterative physical fitting to evaluate and refine the garment, while also considering how ergonomic features could be integrated into a streamlined visual design. The resulting prototype demonstrates how motorsports-specific posture data can be translated into a digital apparel development workflow and, more broadly, how 3D CAD and virtual fitting can support the development of functional and protective apparel for task-specific environments.

Boisvert, R. (Faculty Advisor: Yingying, W.) From Cockpit to CAD: A Posture-Informed Approach to Motorsports Fire Suit Design. Ergonomic, joint angle-informed motorsports suit garment design, accepted for exhibit:

• Upcoming: International Textile and Apparel Association Design Exhibition, November 17-21, 2026, Jacksonville, FL. (39.3% acceptance.)