Assessment tests for mattresses and pillows as tools of the ergonomic conditions diagnosis

Comfort when sleeping is something that we all hope for and cherish; for that reason, comfort is valued by both users and manufacturers of mattresses and pillows. The aim of this paper is to present an account of a set of evaluation tests which sought to identify the ergonomic conditions of a mattress and pillow brand. The project was conducted by research professors from the Ergonomics Research Division - Design Studies Research Group (GED) at Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana (UPB) in Medellín. The conceptual foundation of the project - in terms of Ergonomics and Design, is based on the systemic User - Product - Context relationship, which helps to identify the product’s quality criteria. Thereafter it supports the formulation of the methodology and the design of evaluation tests that identify the ergonomic conditions of the product. As a result of the conceptual and methodological support - and taking into account the test findings - it was possible to identify mattress and pillow design requirements geared towards the optimization of ergonomic conditions.