With a little time to kill before a movie, Katy and I visited a store in our local mall that sold those high-end beds that let you digitally manipulate the firmness of your mattress. They have a highly structured sales process in which they demonstrate the bed for you.
The salesperson keeps the control in their hand for the first half of this presentation. They start with the bed set to a very uncomfortable extreme (at least for most people). They talk for a while explaining some things about the bed, and then begin decreasing the firmness of the mattress until it feels comfortable. It's easy to imagine a dialogue going something like this.
So lay down. Now, this is the highest setting.
Oh, this is very uncomfortable. I definitely need a lower setting.
Sure. You can change the firmness with this control I have in my hand.
Please, make it softer. Or give me the control, I'd be happy to experiment. This is so very unpleasant.
Before we change anything, though, I want to direct your attention to this screen.
Ow.
The pressure sensors that we have attached to this bed show where your body is being supported.
Please. My lower back is starting to tingle.
Notice all of this pressure placed on your hips and shoulders. There is almost no support being given to your back.
I don't need to see the map to tell me that. I have pressure sensors built into my body. They're called nerve endings. Will you please just hand me the control?
From this we can tell that this isn't a very good setting for you.
I can't feel my legs.
That wasn't my experience, by the way. I found that the closer the mattress was to a sheet or iron, the more comfortable I felt. Whenever the mattress got softer, I felt like my lower back was forced to curl in on itself. My lower back is very independent and doesn't like being forced to do anything.
