IoT will make you sleep well: Pertisth Mankotia, CIO, Sheela Foam (Sleepwell)

Sheela Foam is an Indian manufacturer of mattresses and other foam based technologically differentiated products under the Sleepwell brand. The company has recently tried to offer customers personalized mattresses to provide more comfort to its users. “To do so, the company has deployed IoT-enabled experienced zones in more than 250 showrooms across the country where the deployed solution analyses individual customers’ pressure points and weight distribution using various types of sensors. This information is further used to create personalized mattresses,” reveals Pertisth Mankotia, CIO, Sheela Foam.

Pertisth Mankotia executed the project in-house with the help of his team which includes 40 people. They figured out how they can make use of IoT in order to build mattresses on-demand and as the customers need. Keeping all aspects in mind, the team developed a system using sensors and 3D imaging that could design a mattress based on each person's needs. In 2016, Sheela Foam introduced this system in one of the showrooms and took the mattress manufacturing to a whole new level. It is an IoT-based system which is functional in several stores across the country.

As India has rarely any case to talk about on its contribution in IoT, whenever there is a conversation, the examples either come from the US or some other country. But Sheela Foam changed the scenario last year by introducing its senso-beds called Perfect Match. These beds have been laid out in 250+ showrooms across India. When customers visit these showrooms, they are asked to lie down on these beds and then by mapping the pressure points and weight distribution of the customer across the bed, these beds help to propose an idea of what kind of mattress would suit a certain individual.

"The idea of personalized beds started in 2015. Gradually we built the base in 2016 with sensor technology and IoT in the company. It took about 6 to 8 months to study the sleep algorithms and pressure point data. These technologies are used while manufacturing and are taken up to the customers as well. These technologies are playing a crucial role in enhancing customer experience." adds Mankotia.

On an average an individual spends one third of his life on the bed. It is important that the bed he/she is sleeping on gives the desired comfort. Most of the mattresses do not help in offering the comfort to each person because each person is different in body structure. "As each consumer is unique. Sleep is very important in their life. Hence Sheela Foam's IT initiative is aimed at comforting consumers," he further says.

With personalized beds, Sheela Foam has tried to address a key problem in their space. It puts company ahead of the competition and gives an edge.