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Thursday April 14, 2005 2:08 pm
Interview with Lee Loree, SLEEPTRACKER Inventor
A few weeks ago we reviewed the SLEEPTRACKER watch which aims to change one’s life by improving the start of their day. We got a lot of questions from readers who wanted more information on the background of the product, so we decided to go straight to the source. Lee Loree is the Managing Partner of Innovative Sleep Solutions, and the mind behind the SLEEPTRACKER. We were able to chat with him about the function of the device, as well as the success it is enjoying.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself, along with what your position is at Innovative Sleep Solutions?
I came up with the idea for SLEEPTRACKER as I lay reading in bed one night. My wife had been asleep for a few hours when she rolled over. As she rolled over I said something and she responded. We spoke briefly then she went back to sleep. I waited about 10 minutes and tried to speak to her in the same tone and she did not respond. I found that exchange interesting so I started spending evenings in libraries and on line researching sleep. From there I had meetings with doctors in the sleep field to access our idea and work to build our model.
What is your background in sleep technology?
My expertise lies in the original idea. From there I found people in the sleep field and engineers to help me design SLEEPTRACKER.
Tell us a bit about the SLEEPTRACKER in your own words.
The two things that stick out most to me are:
- It gives the user a simple non-invasive device that allows them to glimpse into their night’s sleeping behavior.
- Not only does it wake you more gently when your body is almost awake, it also gives you a few extra minutes to get ready in the morning.
What was the process used to develop the SLEEPTRACKER? How many people were involved?
There were a lot of people consulted and involved over the course of 4+ years not counting the friends who allowed us to video tape them sleeping while wearing bulky prototypes.
How long did it take to go from concept to having the product in your hand?
About 5 years
Can you explain what the SLEEPTRACKER is actually monitoring while it is being worn?
SLEEPTRACKER has an accelerometer that sense brief periods of moment that correlate to lighter stages of sleep.
The SLEEPTRACKER’s appearance is a bit dull. Was this ever mentioned in focus groups or testing?
Some people have said that but that is by design. We felt like people might wear it all day but in the end it was a tool to be worn at night. Putting flashy orange buttons and multi colored wrist bands seemed counter to a sleeping tool.
How many units have you sold since the product launched?
We do not publish exact figures but we went through about 85% of inventory in our first month of business. We had projected that inventory to last 5 months.
The product has turned out to be a success. Why is it that you think people are buying, and talking about, the SLEEPTRACKER product as much as they are?
75% of America complains about getting out of bed in the morning. That is an awfully big market.
Do you wear a SLEEPTRACKER? Has it changed the way you sleep?
I wear it every night. As a matter of fact I just this past week I ran an experiment. We usually let our dog sleep on our bed. On Monday I kept the dog out of our bedroom and my restlessness (data A) expanded from the mid 20’s on average to over 30 minutes. The next night I allowed our dog back into our room. 3 times she woke me to where I sat up in bed and was visibly disturbed (I video tape the nights I run tests). My Data A value declined back to just above the 20 minute threshold. I was noticeably more tired the day after the dog was on the bed.
As for the alarm catching me in the window, on a full night’s rest I am awoken in the window over 70% of the time with the 20 minute window. That number will vary between people.
Is Innovative Sleep Solutions developing any other products at this time?
Presently we are focused on getting more inventory and spreading the word about SLEEPTRACKER. We have only been in the market for a month.
Gear Live thanks Lee Loree for taking the time for this interview.
- Andru Edwards
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Comments:
There was a recent article on slashdot about a similar product that is not yet available. This article really peaked my interest because I can’t tell you how many times I’ve woken up naturally around 6:00am and feel fine but don’t need to be up that early only to fall back asleep and feel awful when my alarm finally goes off. Someone posted a comment about SLEEPTRACKER and so I checked it out.
I would really really love a product like this but I haven’t seen enough independent reviews of it yet… I’m going to wait and see how this: http://waterflavored.blogspot.com/2005/04/sleeptracker-watch-review-30-days.html turns out.
If things look good I will definitely purchase one (I was probably 90% set to make a purchase already, but my better judgement kicked in, and will wait for some more information). Even if that guy’s 30 day review doesn’t turn out so great I still might get one since he as a bunch of interfering factors: noisy neighbors, cats, and a wife sometimes on a very different schedule than him. None-the-less, I’m eagerly awaiting his conclusions.
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Please bring down the price!!!
. Too many broke college students that could really use this. I personally was very interested until I saw the price. It it was under, say $80, I probably would have gotten one. But as it is right now I just can not justify the price.
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please remember to proofread. this line does not make any sense:
SLEEPTRACKER has an accelerometer that sense brief periods of moment that correlate to lighter stages of sleep.
should “moment” read “movement”?
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I would note that they still have some bugs to work out. i bought one, but it only worked the first night. After that it failed to track, or go off at the specified time. IMHO the worst thing is that if it fails to track your sleep, it also fails to go off at all. They tried to send me a fix, that involved going through a sequence and resetting the alarm, but it still didn’t work.
They have been very personable at the company, but this seems like a very BETA product.
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Will SLEEPTRACKER make me perform better in bed?
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I’ve been trying it for a month. It has yet to wake me up even once. I’ve only heard it go off one time, shortly after my other alarm went off. The alarm is far too quiet. It should have some kind of little vibrator in it as well as an option to become louder.
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I just got mine 3 days ago…I think I figure how this watch work in helping you waking up during that time that they say you are almost awake…
For 150$, you are getting a watch that have a little motion detector that detect your arm and wrist movement when you Twist and Turn during your sleep…Basically if your arm and wrist move around during the alarm window, the watch will try to wake you up…simple as that..The whole idea behind to make this work is that you have to have enough good sleep..and your arm and wrist have to move (almost awake according to sleeptracker) during the alarm window then it will do its job of awaking you…
I found out about this because I was testing the watch while I am fully awake..If the watch magically know that you are almost awake through internal body and psychologically, then it would be awesome..however the alarm didn’t went off until I move my arm…So they rely on this movement detection during your sleep to determine whether you are almost awake or not..Twisting and turning is the thing everybody does during sleep.. so twisting and turning doens’t mean you are ready to wake up… Only if you have enough sleep then you will have a good wake up when twisting and turning..if not, this watch will be just like many other watch..
...the GEARLIVE author was mentioning that the watch detect that he wake up at 2 something…well it is because he was moving around..and of course the watch would record that in the data…
So for something like that, do you think it worth the price of $150, I don’t know..but I think it is a fascinating motion detecting while sleeping watch..
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Here is an alternative technology (in development) that uses brainwaves. Will likely be more expensive, but seems a little more scientific than just movement.
http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=mg18624956.600&lop=mnaw.5611270&oId=2001-9373-0&siteId=3&ontId=9373&cid=5347351
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