Sleep Sensor Hides Beneath the Mattress
By Simonite, Tom; Technology Review,Publication Date: November 9, 2011
Article features a sensor pad that tracks heart rate, breathing, and movement from underneath a mattress. The device takes the form of a thin, self inflating mattress pad with a sensor at one of its corners. The sensor tracks air pressure fluctuations caused by the tiny tremors caused by heartbeats or the more sizeable shaking that occurs when someone turns over or gets out of bed. The data are wirelessly transmitted to a box connected to the Internet, which in turn relays the data to cloud servers, where they are interpreted as heartbeats, breaths, and other movements. Processed data can be viewed using mobile apps for iOS devices, such as the iPod, or via an online dashboard, showing trends over time and calculating measures such as quality and duration of sleep. A version of the product, called Touch-free Life Care or TLC, has been marketed to senior care homes following several months of trials in such facilities. If a resident gets out of bed in the night, an on-duty staff member at the home is notified via a mobile app. A spokesperson for the maker, Bam Labs, also reports plans to offer the technology to acute care facilities and home users.
Published by: Technology Review, Inc. (Website:http://www.technologyreview.com)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) (Web Site: http://www.mit.edu )
Link to text: http://www.technologyreview.com/computing/39105/?nlid=nldly&nld=2011-11-09
