Leggett & Platt launches high-tech products division

CARTHAGE, Mo. — Leggett & Platt has established a new division to develop and market high-tech products to the home furnishings industry and other industries.

The Leggett & Platt Smart Products division successfully launched three new products, Helios, Helios Time and LPSense Illuminate, at the Hospitality Design Expo and Conference, a major industry event held recently in Las Vegas, and sees a bright future for such products, officials said.

“Leggett & Platt has been a leader in the hospitality industry for more than 130 years, and we are excited to continue our partnership with industry leaders from across the globe as we launch LP Smart Suite,” said Jason Turner, general manager of LP Smart Products. “We’ve seen significant demand from both our customers and end consumers, and we look forward to bringing connectivity and forward-thinking technology to the hospitality industry.”

The new products are designed to transform ordinary living and working spaces into modern, connected environments and are the initial three products in the company’s LP Smart Suite package. Additional products will roll out later this year, company officials said.

Helios is a wireless charging technology that can turn ordinary surfaces into charging hubs. It uses Qi-enabled inductive power, the world’s leading wireless charging standard already utilized by more than 50 million people worldwide, the company said.

Helios Time is the first alarm clock to offer Qi wireless charging technology, Bluetooth streaming, Wi-Fi connectivity and a carbon monoxide detector. This smart clock also features remote time sync, ensuring the accuracy of time and alarms without the need to individually set each clock — a major advantage for hotels and resorts, officials said.

And LPSense Illuminate is a lighting system that provides a soft glow upon sensing a guest’s presence. Illuminate lighting kits easily integrate into a variety of furniture pieces, including beds, nightstands and dressers. That product was developed to help guests navigate dark rooms, officials said.

Initial response to the products has been favorable, Turner said.

“HD Expo confirmed what we intuitively knew from our research and market studies — there is a surging demand for smart products that create modern, connected living environments,” he said. “Furniture manufacturers and hospitality leaders are listening to consumers and responding with options that complement our increasingly connected lives.”

He said Leggett & Platt is well positioned to develop and market new technologies.

“We’ve been at the forefront of the furniture industry for more than a century, so developing smart technology for furniture is a natural extension of our expertise and experience,” Turner said. “Our homes, offices and hospitality spaces will increasingly be connected, and we’re excited to be a leader in this next generation of technology innovation.”

The Helios chargers can be used with virtually any surface, offering consumers the convenience of charging various electronic devices at home, work or in public areas. The chargers are designed to reduce the risk of electric shock and to protect phones against power surges, officials said.

LPSense products use capacitive sensing technology to detect human presence and trigger various events based on an individual’s activity, allowing products to react to user preferences automatically.

When placed in an adjustable bed, LPSense detects occupancy. In a recliner, LPSense closes the reclining mechanism when a person gets out of the chair. When incorporated into a home theater-style seating system, LPSense can pause and play movies and adjust lighting based on whether or not seats are occupied. And LPSense can detect human contact in pinch points of mechanisms, stopping operation when it senses an obstruction, officials said.