Really:  The Internet of Beds?

Really: The Internet of Beds?

by Michael Schaefer January 12, 2017 2 Comments

 There are times you just want to pull your hair out over the latest new fad, new idea or concept for the "sale of the century."   Last week at the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas a rousing presentation was made on how the momentum around the Internet of Things (IoT) could very likely be transforming the bedding industry next. How's that you ask?

While many details weren't provided, examples such as the ZEEQ pillow, which has so far raised $400,000 in a Kickstarter campaign, were quick to jump on the bandwagon. Soon you will be able to buy the ZEEQ pillow, download their app - and your selected music will play through 8 internal pillow speakers, provide vibration prompting you turn over if you start to snore and set alarms to wake you up - based not only on the time, but on the quality of sleep ZEEQ has been monitoring for you all night.  

Soaring Heart does not buy into the idea that "being wired into the Borg's sleep cycle" (remember Star Trek episode 75?) is intelligent design.  Instead we are members of a movement called "Time Well Spent (see timewellspent.io) that envisions a world where our use of devices actually enhances our humanity.  Where we design experiences on our hand-helds in ways that don't tap into addictive behaviors.  (Did you know that studies show we now check our phones something like 150 times a day?)

Everyday we meet people with sleep issues.  With our days filled with constant interruption it should come as no surprise to us that our sleep cycles bounce us around between disconnected thoughts.  Studies have shown that it takes (on average) 15 minutes to get back to our work after an IM message interrupts our day - so clearly we can't expect to get back into REM sleep after any interruption.

Yes, there maybe money to be made launching more connections to IoT.  But if our goal is healthy, natural sleep - let's wake up to the responsibility we have for our family's sleep hygene.  Where we make joyful, careful considerations of how our bedrooms are designed and keep the interruptions of any and all devices parked a healthy distance away from our slumber.

As always your feedback and opinions are welcome.  

See original article in Geekwire at:  http://www.geekwire.com/?s=internet+of+beds




Michael Schaefer
Michael Schaefer

Author



2 Responses

Eugenia Woerz
Eugenia Woerz

February 18, 2017

It is sad to see a new device that we can hook ourselves up to while we are sleeping, I think this is the LAST thing we need! We need to unhook, unwind, as Mike mentioned put any and all devices as far away from your sleep area as possible. When people come in and try our organic beds it is amazing how instantly they relax because the body responds to natural organic fibers, I actually have people fall asleep while they are just trying the beds, now that is great advertising! If you don’t believe me come on into our Bellevue Store and see for yourself. Going back to the simpler and organic things in life is truly so much better for us on so many levels! Thank you, Soaring Heart for keeping things simple and organic!

chris
chris

February 14, 2017

I could not agree more. I would ahve tos ay though that I persoanlly sleep with “white noise” (a fan) to blurr out thing sthat would otherwise startle me at night. We live in a society that is cluttered with unneccesary sounds and sometimes it is sound you need to drown out the noise. I agree with you wholeheartdly though we need to learn to keep devices away and a speaker in a pillow is not the solution…but a pretty nifty idea
:)

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