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Connected Objects Sleep

Snore Circle could end the cycle of endless snoring

Snoring is a problem that many people suffer with for several years — often without realizing how much of a toll it’s taking on both their sleeping and overall health, as well as the sleeping and overall health of their loved ones.

Snore Circle is a device made up of a control unit and earplugs that works in conjunction with a mobile app for Android 4.3 or later smartphones and iPhones (4S and later) to detect snoring. It’s able to precisely identify snoring sounds using bone conduction and sound recognition technologies, and then intervenes physically with micro sounds and micro vibrations at 54 levels to stop snoring and allow the user to sleep better.

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Connected Objects Kids/Babies Sleep

Suzy Snooze helps Suzy –- and everybody else –- get some sleep

Every parent wants their babies to get some sleep because if an infant doesn’t sleep, the adults don’t either.

patent-claimedSuzy Snooze is a three-in-one device that uses light and sound to soothe kids to sleep — helping their parents get some sleep in the process — and also helps wake kids up. Suzy evolves with children through their early years — serving as first a baby monitor, then a lullaby nightlight, and then a toddler sleep trainer. It plugs into a wall socket and comes with U.S., U.K. and European adapters.

Suzy works out of the box, but also in conjunction with a mobile device app that allows parents to control the device’s functions remotely, including whether to leave the nightlight on or off.

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Connected Objects Health and Wellness Sleep

Nora helps snorers to snooze and not lose

Anti-snoring devices can cut back on not only snoring, but the sleeplessness and annoyance suffered by people who sleep with those who snore.

patent-claimedUnlike Snor and SnoreNoMore, two recent devices whose inventors have sought crowdfunding for, Nora is an anti-snoring device that’s non-evasive, not requiring users to stick any tubes or other items inside their mouths. Nora is instead made up of a small white device resembling a mouse that gets placed on the user’s night table and is tapped before sleeping, and a flat, padded insert containing a mini pump that inflates and deflates when somebody starts snoring, slightly moving any pillow that it is placed in. That gentle movement stimulates the upper throat muscles and lets snorers’ breathing return to normal, without waking them or their companions up, according to the campaign.

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Connected Objects Sleep

Chrona slips in your pillow to size up your sleep

A good night of sleep is one of the most important things to maintain a healthy life. But all too often people have issues when trying to sleep, sometimes without even knowing it.

Chrona is a thin foam insert that transforms any pillow into a smart pillow. Combined with an app for iOS, Android and Windows Phone mobile devices, Chrona serves as a sleep optimization system that tracks and optimizes sleep using sound. The Bluetooth Low Enery device not only tracks users’ sleep by movement, but it also improves their sleep through the use of acoustics. Depending on where users are in their sleep cycles, Chrona uses low-frequency sounds to help them sleep more deeply or high-frequency sounds to prepare them to wake up. Chrona costs $169 and ships in December. Its maker has set a Kickstarter goal of raising $50,000 by May 18.

One of the product’s advantages is that it doesn’t require an uncomfortable wearable. But it faces competition from a growing number of products that promise pretty much the same thing, including Proper Pillow Plus and SliiP.

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Connected Objects Sleep

Proper Pillow Plus will help give you an amazing night of sleep

A comfortable pillow is just as important as a good mattress to provide a good night of sleep. Most pillows, even the best orthopedic ones, however, can’t quantify just how well the user is sleeping.

The Proper Pillow Plus is a smarter version of the existing Proper Pillow, created by the same inventor. The Proper Pillow was designed to support optimal alignment with both back and side sleeping positions. Proper Pillow Plus builds on that and adds the quantification of sleep patterns with the assistance of a mobile app. A sensor network of pressure receptors built into the pillow tracks the user’s sleep experience and relays that data directly to the Proper Pillow Plus app via Bluetooth Low Energy. Among other things, Proper Pillow Plus can gauge what sleeping position and head orientation generate optimal sleep conditions. Proper Pillow Plus costs $60 and ships in April. Its maker is hoping to raise $375,000 via an Indiegogo campaign by April 18.

The product holds promise if it can truly and accurately measure sleep patterns and, more importantly, if it’s comfortable. That said, these two variables are impossible to gauge from a campaign video. Those are two of the same issues faced by similar products that have sought crowdfunding, including ThinkPillow.

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Health and Wellness

Lumino helps you rise before the sun gets up

When winter comes and the days get shorter, getting up before the sun to go to work or school can be a major struggle. Since the body is programmed to sleep at night and be awake when the sun is up, Lumino offers smart technology for helping a person to ease into those dark mornings. The product works with one’s bedside lamp, phone, Bluetooth, and a smart plug. A few minutes before the pre-set time, the intensity of the lamp gradually increases, registering in the brain in a similar way as waking up to the rising sun. When the lamp hits maximum intensity, the user’s desired alarm or song plays on their phone. Lumino can also be used as a night light when not home, or a sleep aid that slowly diminishes light intensity in the bedroom while winding down to go to sleep.

Everyone has experienced the dread of waking up before sunrise in the winter, so Lumino is a neat little way of  waking up to a more pleasant day, provided that users have iOS or Android. Interested backers might also like to check out the Sleep Sensei and TekTuk campaigns. This campaign seeks to raise $100,000 CAD (~$87,500 USD). Early bird backers get one product for $39 CAD (~$34 USD) with an expected delivery of April 2015.

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Sleep

Sleep Sensei is a teacher that actually wants you to fall asleep

There are quite a few studies out there that report the importance of making sure that people get enough sleep each night. But there are some nights when sleep just seems impossible. For those who struggle with rest on a regular basis, Sleep Sensei is an alternative option that allows you to enjoy sleep without having to take any type of medication or prescription. The electronic gadget works with a pattern of LED lights that shine on a person’s closed eyes, and coaches them to sleep. There is a timer that lets you determine how long you want the session to last. It’s not clear whether the device is battery operated or requires electricity to function, however it seems like a great idea that will be appreciated by many who have sleep issues. This campaign seeks to raise $25,000 by December 16, 2014. Early bird backers get one product for $20, with an expected delivery of April 2015.