Thermal, Touch and Biomechanical Comfort of Bedding System

The project aims for a systematic research in thermal, touch, and biomechanical comfort of the bedding system and explore the interactions between these comfort aspects and the integrated overall comfort generated from them. In thermal aspect, an improved and upgraded sleeping chamber will be built up for conducting trials and evaluations for different bedding systems. Proposed microclimate thermal comfort zone would be further analysed and updated if needed. Studies in thermoregulation in sleeping condition would also be conducted. In touch aspect, previous studies would be adapted in this study for proposing comfort requirements of bedding system. The weightings of different factors affecting thermal-tactile comfort during sleep could be dissimilar with those in other activities. In biomechanics aspect, pressure distribution would be a major focus in this project. Despite the personal preferences of hardness/softness comfort, pressure distribution over the body as well as the changes of pressure distribution when changing sleep posture may affect the sleep comfort. Ergonomic design of the mattress would be investigated for proposing the biomechanical comfort requirement. The key project outcomes would be an overall evaluation system for bedding textiles, it will help the industry for future product evaluation and material/product innovation.