This is one of those stories that you just know must have come about as a result of some poor engineer bringing his home life to work. All I can say is that as one half of a couple who appreciates the one-third of the bed I’m relegated to, this story definitely hits home.
It seems that Ford saw a parallel in some of the autonomous driving technology the company has been developing and the age-old issue of hogging mattress space. The result? The lane-keeping bed. Borrowing from the lane-keeping, driver-assistance technology embedded into a number of Ford vehicles, integrated pressure sensors identify when someone has strayed from their side of the mattress. These sensors trigger an embedded conveyor belt that gently returns the encroaching individual to their side.
In a vehicle, the system uses a combination of sensors and cameras to analyze road markings and signs. If the vehicle senses it is veering from its lane, the system guides it back by slightly moving the steering wheel in the appropriate direction.
For those looking to take the same gentle approach in taking back your side of the bed — bad news, the lane-keeping bed is only a prototype.