Researchers from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst have created "smart pajamas," because, when you think of how you're sleeping at night, it’s not something you typically know.
Led by Dr. Trisha Andrew, a multi-disciplinary research team at the Wearable Electronics Lab recently sewed five different sensors into a loose-fitting silk pajama shirt to monitor your heartbeat and breathing. The shirt can even tell what position you're sleeping in.
The self-powered sensors provide improved access that could be used to help improve sleep patterns. For example, the PJs can tell if you're breathing, if you have sleep apnea, or if the position you typically sleep in is limiting your sleep quality.
The sensors are powered by a small fiber-based supercapacitor made by the WE Lab that was sewed onto the garment. It communicates via bluetooth and can run for up to eight hours on a single charge. They are even machine washable and can withstand 30-to-40 wash cycles.
What I found interesting is that the sensors can be sewn into pretty much anything you want. If anything, it could drastically improve sleep studies, which could even be performed at home. I’m not sure if you’ve seen those at-home kits, but let’s just describe them as “busy."
Dr. Andrew doesn’t have a timeline as to when they’ll be on the market, but she is looking for investors to help expedite the process.
Remember, if you have better sleep, you typically have a better quality of life, I hear — or that’s what they tell me, anyways.
