The Origins of Memory Foam

Memory foam is most often used in bedding matierals

Often found in modern bedding products such as mattress toppers and pillows, memory foam is a material with a short but glamorous history. Developed for the space industry, adapted for medical use, and memory foam found its way into the consumer market. With a multitude of uses, memory foam is a versatile material not likely to fall out of favor anytime soon.

Beginnings

Memory foam, originally know as both "slow spring back foam" and "temper-foam," was developed in 1966 by NASA scientists at Ames Research center. The purpose, according to NASA, was to increase the safety and comfort of astronauts and airline pilots by padding seats to absorb G-force pressure during take-off and re-entry. Though this product was never used in space, it has been used in the production of aircraft seating.

Medicine

Dynamic Systems, Inc., a company created by memory foam designer Charles Yost, began producing memory foam, called temper-foam, in the 1970s and 1980s. Discovered to have practical medical purposes, temper-foam was marketed to the medical industry in the last 1980s. Particularly useful for long-term care patients, patients prone to bedsores, and those who suffer chronic pain, memory foam technology continues to find practical uses in the medical field. Today, memory foam is used in the production of prosthetic limbs, where its use makes prosthetic limbs more comfortable for wearers.

Sleep

Though memory foam has its beginnings in space and medical science, memory foam was first produced as a bedding product by Temper-Pedic, a Swedish company, in the 1980s and 1990s. Introduced in Sweden in 1991, memory foam was an enormous success in Europe. In 1992, Temper-Pedic introduced memory foam mattresses to the United States and Canada, where its instant success has prompted the use of memory foam in other industries. Since its inception and introduction as a mattress-making material, memory foam has become nearly as popular as the innerspring mattresses. Memory foam mattresses are now a comfortable, less expensive alternative to traditional mattresses.

Metal Alloy

While memory foam is a visco-elastic foam-padding material, researchers at Northwestern University have discovered a way to utilize memory foam technology in the creation of a "nickel-manganese-gallium alloy that changes shape when exposed to a magnetic field" according to Northwestern University's Newscenter. This metallic alloy memory foam will allow for industrial uses of memory foam technology under circumstances where the visco-elastic padding is impractical, such as biomedical and microrobiotic technologies.

Modern Uses

Today, memory foam finds a wide variety of applications in consumer goods. From car and motorcycle seats to mattresses and shoes, memory foam is making life more comfortable for millions of consumers around the world. Nearly every company making memory foam, thanks to the expiration of temper-foams patent in the 1990s, produces their own memory foam material.

References

• NASA.gov: Memory Foam
• Northwest University: Smart Memory Foam Made Smarter
• The History of Memory Foam

Resources

• WebMD: Memory Foam Pros and Cons