The space race energized the creative juices of a nation and spawned invention in a variety of disciplines. A significant number of these mini-inventions never saw the light of day, but one, memory foam did get developed and became a very popular product found in most households today.
Memory foam has an unusual characteristic of being able to spread pressure evenly over any item against which it is pressed. This unusual ability meant that it was quickly identified as something that could be used in healthcare settings, specifically beds, allowing patients some relief from the discomfort of being bedridden for long periods. As the costs of manufacturing memory foam have fallen it has moved from principally healthcare use into everyday household products such as the memory foam mattress or mattress toppers, the memory foam pillow and other types of support cushions.
Memory foam becomes soft when it comes into contact with a warm item, for example a body. As it becomes soft it moulds itself around that body until it is fully supported. Following the removal of the body the foam becomes cool again and slowly returns to its original shape; thus its description of memory. In a bed this behaviour is often able to cut down the amount of tossing and turning that goes on and and can alleviate joint pain more generally.
Tags: creative juices, everyday household products, healthcare settings, mattress toppers, memory foam mattress, memory foam pillow, support cushions