This article has been republished with the permission of Furniture Today USA.

Words: David Perry

The Minnesota High Tech Assn. has named Sleep Number as the recipient of the 2017 Tekne Award in the Internet of Things category.

Held at the Minneapolis Convention Center, the Tekne Awards honor companies and individuals who have played a significant role in developing new technologies that positively impact the lives and futures of people around the world, officials said.

Sleep Number is being recognized for what the company calls its most advanced innovation to date – the Sleep Number 360 smart bed powered by SleepIQ technology. The new integrated design includes a proprietary algorithm and machine learning to intuitively sense and automatically adjust all night for an optimized sleep experience. Built on an advanced Internet of Things architecture, the technology and data gives users knowledge about how they are sleeping and the power to adjust variables that impact their sleep, the company said.

“Sleep Number is honored to be recognized by the 2017 Tekne Awards for the Sleep Number 360 smart bed,” said Annie Bloomquist, chief product officer at Sleep Number. “For three decades, Sleep Number has revolutionized the industry as a pioneer in sleep technology with a passion for improving lives through better sleep. This award recognizes our commitment to innovation and developing life-changing technologies for quality sleep and wellness.”

Tekne Awards were presented to 13 of Minnesota’s most influential companies and recognized innovations in software, healthcare, STEM education, workforce development, Internet of Things, cyber security and more.

“Each year, MHTA honors the most innovative companies in Minnesota advancing technology at home and around the globe,” said Margaret Anderson Kelliher, president and CEO of MHTA. “Sleep Number is impacting the way people live, work and sleep, and the Tekne Awards recognize those achievements.”