Tag: sleep

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Connected Objects Kids/Babies Lighting

BabySleep is a connected nighttime lamp for kids

Toddlers and small children are notorious for refusing to go to sleep. Even when they can barely keep their eyes open, they insist on staying up, unwilling to miss any action. Babysleep is a clock designed for these types of kids, teaching them when it’s time to go to sleep and wake up. Looking like a little wooden birdhouse, the product has a sun and moon on it. When the sun is lit, it tells the child that they should be getting up. When the moon is lit, it’s time to go to bed. Parents have several options in controlling Babysleep. They can either set times from the product itself, from a computer or even use an accompanying app. Times can be adjusted easily for nap time, traveling or sleepovers. Brightness of the lights as well as colors can also be customized.

The campaign included testimonials from parents claiming that Babysleep has become a fun nightly ritual for their child. It also goes into the detrimental effects of the often erratic sleep patters of terrible two-year-olds. Other children’s alarm clocks focus on different goals, such as the Onaroo Alarm Clock. This product urges kids to stay in bed longer so that their parents can sleep. Babysleep focuses more on the child’s well-being than the parent’s. Backers can donate £99 (~$160) for this Italian product. Babysleep is looking to raise £50,000 (~$80,600) on Kickstarter.

Categories
Relaxation

Ostrich Pillow Mini offers no-nonsense napping

While our lives are busy busy busy, we still feel the need to nap every now and then throughout the day to feel rested. One may fear looking like a hobo, however, when trying to catch a few z’s out in public. The Ostrich Pillow Mini makes sure you don’t look (as) weird. This soft pillow hooks through your hand or arm so that, when sitting, you can rest your head against the pillow for a little snooze during the day. Not to be confused with the original Ostrich Pillow Mellow Yellow that looks kind of like a boxing glove, costs a ridiculous sum and is dry clean only. The Ostrich Pillow Mini is much more affordable at $25 and suggests hand washing, slightly better than dry clean. Ostrich is hoping to raise $15,000 on Kickstarter. This new take on the travel pillow finally updates the u-shaped design for maximum comfort. A good purchase for those constantly in motion.

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Connected Objects Sleep

Guidy lucid dream mask aids those choosing better snoozing

Lucid dreaming fascinates anyone who finds out about it, but once they realize how difficult it can be to induce, many quickly lose that interest. The creators of the Guidy don’t think it has to be so difficult. The product is a smart sleep mask equipped with Bluetooth connectivity, an accelerometer, and a gyroscope to detect REM-cycles with 100% accuracy. When it does, it sends you gentle, light-based reminders so that you can notice you’re dreaming. Once that’s done, your fantasies of running as fast as the Flash or living your life as Indiana Jones can finally be experienced. The creators are just hoping their €47,000 funding goal isn’t one, too. Get your hands on one for €80.

As novel as this product may seem, there have already been a few examples of lucid dreaming masks. One, called the DreamNet, is an alternative that utilizes an EEG and also syncs up with smartphones, but saves the data gained into a database filled with other dreamers using the same product. Remee is the cheapest alternative and also providing customizable LED reminders. Guidy combines the accuracy of the former with the customizable nature of the latter for their version of the lucid dreaming sleep mask, making it a product to look out for.

Categories
Safety Travel

Winks is one of the least awkward airplane sleeping aids

Even if one can get past the noise, sleeping on a plane can be nearly impossible because of the awkward positioning of the seats. The 40 Winks travel pillow aims to change that. This unique design supports a person’s head by using opposing pull from the user’s own body in order to offer optimum support and comfort for the head from either side or from behind.

The pillow must have proper pressure distribution in order to work effectively, which means that the arms of the pillow must be wrapped wide and flat around the user’s body so that pressure is evenly distributed over a broad surface. This provides that necessary counter balance action and a nice way to get some much-needed rest while traveling. For those interested in checking out other travel sleep aid ideas, Forward Front Face Pillow Cushion, BoosterPalz, JQ Headrest, and Sky Tent may be of interest. For $29, early bird backers get one pillow with an expected delivery of February 2015.

Categories
Sleep

Sense clips to your pillow, offers a mint of data

The Premise. Everyone needs to sleep, and yet only a select few get to enjoy the way their bodies are naturally inclined to do. Whether it’s city noise, a restless partner, or just the grind of a morning commute, the average person isn’t getting enough quality sleep every night.

The Product. Sense is a sort of hub that tracks and monitors all the important aspects of sleep through the use of the Sleep Pill, a small sensor that clips not to the body but instead to the pillow, and a ball full of sensors that rests on your nightstand. Sense functions as an alarm clock and a sleep monitor that pays attention to more than just how much movement is happening in the bed. Sense records any sounds that may jar users awake, can play calming sleep sounds, and can wake sleepers up at a time that is more natural by monitoring the sleep cycle. After each night, Sense gives users a sleep score based on the conditions of the bedroom and the quality of the sleep.

The Pitch. Sense’s video is all about how to unlock the best sleep one can get without ignoring al the realities of life, family, and work. The device is attractive and the materials show this off very well. Designer Hello wants to raise $100,000 to make Sense more than just a dream.

The Perks. A Sense and the companion Sleep Pill can be picked up for $99;, and will be reaching homes in November 2014. Bed partners can also get in on the fun with a Sleep Pill of their own. Those who want to color coordinate the striking device with their bedroom decor will need to shell out $1,000 to work with Hello’s team of industrial designers.

The Potential. The wearable market is quickly reaching a saturation point, and there are already plenty of devices that take a long hard look at how users sleep. What’s great about Sense is the way that it replaces an existing household device (the alarm clock) with something that is pleasing in design and more functional in what it does. Additionally, that the Sleep Pill clips to the pillow and not anywhere on the pajamas is a great asset for the more forgetful folks out there, as well as those who prefer to sleep au naturel and have nothing to clip a tracker to. In terms of innovation, Sense isn’t trying much that hasn’t been addressed before, but this is one of those rare “complete” packages that has a lot to offer even if it isn’t the newest idea out there.

Categories
Travel

SeatSnoozer holds heads still to help nodding off in planes

SeatSnoozerMost people will admit that trying to sleep on a plane is nearly impossible. The creators of SeatSnoozer were no exception. So after a particularly bad flight and during the course of several beers at the bar, they began working on a solution. It says something that this is actually one of the less ridiculous looking plane sleep aids we’ve seen. Plus, it can be used with headphones. Plane engines (and sometimes the cabin) are noisy. So listening to music can be relaxing, help a person to fall asleep faster, and stay asleep longer. At an early bird special of $23 plus a bit if your dignity, it will likely be a worthwhile investment for those who travel frequently. Expected delivery is October 2014.

Categories
Relaxation Sleep Travel

JQ Headrest lets you bury your face in slumber, perhaps shame

JQ HeadrestThe problem of rest while in transit is a doozy. For those who have trouble falling asleep on the move, traveling can be extremely uncomfortable. The JQ Headrest aims at helping weary passengers get some rest. It comprises of an adjustable pole that rests on the forehead and chest to let passengers sleep leaning forward. Despite its awkward look, it claims to be effective, much like the Forward Front Face Pillow Cushion. If backers think they can get it past security, they only have to pay $36 (if they live in China and have a lung disease) for delivery in August 2014. Healthy, non-Chinese backers must donate $99. JQ hopes to raise a huge $386,000 goal in a 27-day Kickstarter campaign.

Categories
Camping

Bison Bag lets you catch some Zs between the trees

Bison BagCamping is a fun summer activity enjoyed by many. Accessories used for staying out all night are usually multi-purpose, cutting down on supplies needed. The Bison Bag is one such product. This camping convenience is a hammock and sleeping bag in one. It is rated to hold large amounts of weight and comes with everything one needs to attach it to a tree. If the hammock should tip over, it holds the occupant inside, perhaps preventing injury. One Bison Bag costs camping backers $60 or $70 at an early-bird price and $90 when the early bird bags are gone. This product hopes to raise $15,500 on Kickstarter.

Categories
Sleep

SnoreNoMore promises silence in store

The Premise. Many adult men and many women suffering from nighttime snoring. Snoring is a symptom of an obstructed airway and can cause sleep problems and, in many cases, marital problems.

The Product. SnoreNoMore is a cure for snoring. This device looks much like an electric toothbrush without a head. It vibrates and has a soft rubber tip that is placed in the mouth against the soft palette to stimulate the area. This stimulation supposedly retrains the airways to work properly in order to alleviate snoring. The device is rechargeable and comes in several different colors. An accompanying Android/iOs friendly app allows users to track their progress with a snoring diary and reminders to use the device.

The Pitch. The campaign video begins with a cute cartoon of a couple’s distress over snoring. Hilmar Simon, the creator, then explains the mechanics involved in snoring and how his product works. He tells about how his father and sister’s snoring made their house shake which motivated him to search for a solution. Simon hopes to raise $140,000 with his 31-day Indiegogo campaign.

The Perks. For a $50 early-bird special, backers can enjoy the app alone. For $100, backers get the app and $50 off of their purchase of a SnoreNoMore. Only backers willing to fork over $350 can help with the beta stage of testing for 2-3 months, will receive the app and $100 off of the product, but still not the product itself. Only $1,000 gets backers the product, actually four of them, as well as the app.

The Potential. The idea of an actual solution for snoring as opposed to a temporary remedy is intriguing. Snore strips and mouthpieces must be worn every night to temper snoring, but the SnoreNoMore actually attempts to retrain the body to open up your nasal passages. The price of this product, however, is unreasonable and there should most definitely be a reward tier that offers one of the product instead of four. It seems that this should cost no more than an electric toothbrush because of how similar they are. Also, the video lacks any footage of someone using the product, and from the description, it sounds uncomfortable. Still, most would welcome a cure for their snoring no matter the cost. The app is also a welcome supplement for those who really struggle with this problem.

Categories
Fitness Wearables

Goccia shrinks fitness tracking to shirt button size

gocciaWearable fitness and activity trackers are becoming something that active people insist on using all the time, so it’s no surprise that more and more are popping up. More like the Misfit Shine than a Fitbit, the Goccia is an impressively small, constantly worn fitness tracker that can monitor both activity and sleep. With a battery that lasts for two weeks and a housing the size of a coat button, the Goccia easily syncs up with a phone simply by placing it on top of the screen. Then the data is stored in the cloud for users to look at and monitor their levels of activity. The Goccia can be had at a discount for Kickstarter backers at a pledge of $60, and will be delivered in May.