Sealy Unveils Pressure Mapping Lab

October 13, 2008  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in Bedding on October 2008 Sealy Corp., North America’s largest mattress manufacturer, unveiled the Dr. Robert G. and Beverly Addison Center of Excellence pressure mapping laboratory Friday to enhance its position in cutting edge research, technology and sleep science.

Sealy inaugurated the Center of Excellence at its Trinity headquarters this past Friday, October 10 with Several members of Sealy’s Orthopedic Advisory Board (OAB) were on hand for the center’s inauguration at Sealy’s Trinity, N.C., headquarters. The center, according to Sealy the only facility of its kind in the bedding industry, is an innovative, state-of-the-art research laboratory that uses the latest technologies to identify uncomfortable pressure points that lead to tossing and turning.

“Pressure management is one of the focal points of Sealy’s product development process,” said Larry Rogers, Sealy CEO. “The Center of Excellence will provide crucial insight into developing cutting-edge sleep systems that help consumers maximize every minute of sleep.”

The 836-square-foot Center of Excellence pressure-mapping laboratory contains four work stations, each configured for a mattress and pressure-mapping pads that identify and measure uncomfortable pressure points in the body that lead to tossing and turning at night. Additionally, the laboratory is equipped with 20 actigraphy devices that monitor movement and help facilitate the analysis of comfort during the night. It also houses research and data analysis areas as well a comprehensive overview of the Sealy OAB.

“TheCenter of Excellence is a major step in R&D and allows us to connect the quality of a mattress to quality of sleep in a very definitive way,” said Dr. Alan Letton, chief science officer, Sealy. “Our pressure-mapping technique lets us develop a new methodology that quantifies sleep quality, directly linking it to specific sleep surfaces. We will be able to use this proprietary research to further develop and enhance our innovative sleep systems.”

The Center of Excellence was dedicated to Dr. Robert G. and Beverly Addison. In recognition of his contribution to Sealy, Addison is an honorary member of the OAB. Addison drew national attention to the company in the 1950s by recognizing that heavy stress was placed on the lumbar region of the back during sleep. This discovery shifted the company’s product development efforts to create mattresses with back support.

As part of the OAB, Addison and other top orthopedic surgeons, researchers and clinicians from across the country provide perspectives and feedback on the nature of sleep and product development to better meet the evolving needs of consumers. The OAB played a significant role in the development of the Center of Excellence by providing expertise on how uncomfortable pressure points affect the body and sleep quality, and offering feedback on pressure-mapping methodology. 

“The Center of Excellence will provide new opportunities to further the industry’s understanding of how uncomfortable pressure points lead to tossing and turning through extensive testing and research,” Rogers said. “It also will strengthen Sealy’s leadership position by allowing us to continue developing the most technologically advanced beds in the industry and providing a forum for Sealy to interact with leading medical researchers.”