For people who have trouble falling asleep, a helpful product may soon appear on the market. Bed and mattress manufacturer Auping has launched a sleep robot developed by Delft students.
The four Delft students have been working on the robot and its prototypes since 2015. In 2017, the so-called Somnox was launched on Kickstarter, where it secured double the desired investment. Meanwhile, work was ongoing to further develop the product. It mainly consisted of a large wooden skeleton full of gears and radars, which is how the Stentor describes the robot. The students asked Auping for help, particularly for a soft casing around the robot. As a sleep specialist, Auping saw potential in the robot and partnered with the students. Among other things, the robot was made smaller and quieter.
Bedroom of the future
According to the Stentor, Auping's suppliers are starting production. Assembly will take place at Auping's factory in Deventer and the robot will also get its 'jacket' on. Auping thinks the robot fits well in the bedroom of the future, something the company is also drawing attention to at an international trade fair in January. Among other things, it is working on a bed that warms your feet and straightens you up if you snore and curtains that open automatically so you wake up with daylight. Auping hopes to sell thousands of Somnox robots. Launch is likely in March and the cost is €599.
Sensors
But what exactly does the sleep robot do? The main feature of the robot is mimicking human breathing. You can feel the robot expand (inhale) and deflate (exhale). This techniel is based on blood pressure meters, among others. Using CO2 sensors, the robot registers the person's breathing, based on the exhaled air. A sensitive motion sensor detects your breathing and other movements. With this information, the robot determines the pace at which it will breathe: slightly calmer than you. Unnoticed, you adjust your own breathing. This way, according to the Somnox makers, you achieve a "meditative state of mind that lets you dream away quickly". With a smartphone app, you can also set the breathing rhythm manually. This app also lets you play soothing sounds on the Somnox: lullabies, audiobooks, a heartbeat, hypnotic meditation sounds or 'white noise': a kind of neutral murmur that neutralises ambient noise.
Additional features
In the future, the robot may also get additional functions. They want to make it extra "smart" by allowing it to collect data on a person's sleep behaviour so that it can adapt accordingly. They are also considering a smart wake-up function through software updates and depending on adjustable temperature and smell.
Whether the Somnox actually makes people sleep better is not yet known. No clinical scientific studies have been conducted yet. However, Auping does say that over a hundred people have tested the robot and they see that it works. in view of the great interest, they do not want to wait any longer to bring the robot to the market.
Source: The Stentor/Somnox
Photo: Somnox
