I'm intrigued by the single motor concept. Most designers seem to have gone for multiple motors. Is this only for independent control over various chair elements or might it also be that wiring and multiple (micro) motors are lighter than heavy connecting mechanical mechanisms?
That aside, wouldn't the key to comfort be the relative position between the feet and the body (heart)? Some designers have even put seat pocket-like pouches in the seat in front in which you can put your feet (to raise the height of your feet). As a plus six-footer, I've tried various methods to get comfortable in Economy, including putting my feet on the seat (bum) cushion and wrapping a suitcase type strap around my legs to stop my feet slipping off.
From a Line Maintenance perspective:
Accessibililty to motors, microprocessors and the like is a key issue for us. Why do manufacturers force engineers to pull apart the entire seat, just to access the important stuff? Instead of simple hinged panels with one or two dzus fasteners, we get RSI removing dozens of long phillips screws (or having to get out our spanners and socket wrenches). Also note that getting under the seat for access to electrics, often involves sliding our bodies between two rows of seats with our legs in the aisles (which, during turnarounds, are routinely kicked, tripped over or bashed with carts and vacuum cleaners). It's bad enough in Business and First where the pitch is larger. Lifting a seat cushion and going in from the top is much easier.
In the race for lighter construction (to compensate for the weight of electrics), the chair often ends up either being made of exotic, expensive materials, or razor sharp sheet metal which cuts your hands to shreds when you try to work on the chair. The flimsiness of armrests often results in the liberation of arm padding and end caps. By the way, if you do make moveable armrests, please ensure that there is room in the hinge channel to feed seat recline & IFE controller wiring AND the connector plugs.
Whatever you do, please try make the armrests hinged, so you can at least, if the flight is relatively empty, stretch out over 3 or 4 seats.
I can so understand why one commentator's airline removed the electric seats. Electric seats have been around for decades and they still aren't getting any more reliable. It's gotten so bad, our airline has had to form dedicated teams to work on the seats. That is really not good for the airline's bottom line. imho, motorised Economy seats are just going to magnify this problem.