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i-MemoryFoam.com Explains the Unique History of Memory Foam
Added: (Mon Aug 29 2005)
According to i-MemoryFoam.com, the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration developed the first generation of memory foam in the 1970s. Memory foam behaved like a liquid and a solid at the same time. Realizing the ability of this new material to both cushion and support, NASA intended to use it in the space shuttle, as a way to take the edge off the G-force impact on astronauts’ bodies during lift-off.
A Swedish company closely associated with the NASA memory foam project continued tinkering around with the polyurethane compound on their own and, after ten years of further research, produced a version that wouldn’t break down over time. It was a spongy, gel-like plastic, whose composite open cells could deform under pressure, redistribute the air pockets to neighboring cells, and return.
i-MemoryFoam.com explains, Tempur-Pedic started marketing the material to hospitals for mattress pads to decrease bedsore cases. Patients reported that these mattress pads markedly reduced pressure on joints while lying down, while at the same time providing all the back support they needed.
Today, memory foam is most often used in mattresses, mattress toppers, and pillows, but the versatile material is also used in pet beds, footwear, positional sleep aids, office furniture, automobile seat padding, infant cribs and car seats, wheel chair cushions, hip pads and padded sweatpants, computer carrying cases, movie theater seating, pistol gloves, ear plugs, tennis racquet handles, and more.
Memory Foam provides detailed information on memory foam mattresses, mattress pads, pillows, slippers, and dog beds, as well as memory foam product reviews. Memory Foam is the sister site of Mattresses Web.