Attention to the quality of sleep it is not just a prerogative of wearable devices (as in the case of Fitbit’s personal coach or Samsung Galaxy Rings, just to mention two of the most recent examples). Now IKEA has also started an initiative with this objective, not with a new model of mattress or a bedroom, but with a miniature of a bed (to be assembled in pure IKEA style) which allows you to monitor sleep duration. Is called “Phone Sleep Collection” and, thanks to NFC technology, it promises to improve the quality of sleep by reducing night-time smartphone use.
How this gadget works
The miniature, inspired by the real models on sale at IKEA, is a object equipped with NFC technology which, thanks to the integration with theofficial app of the brandcan monitor if and for how long the device is left idle overnight. The basic idea is that if the phone is left idle and placed on the mini-cot, the user is assumed to be sleeping.
Once you’ve downloaded the IKEA app onto your smartphone (Android or iOS), that’s it place your phone on the mini-cot before going to sleep. At that point the integrated NFC technology comes into play, which signals the platform the start of “digital rest”. If the device remains still for at least seven hours, a successful sleep session is considered completed. After one week of continuous use, the user receives a voucher for around $27 (around €25) to obviously be used for purchases from IKEA. Furthermore, the gadget is provided free of charge to those who make a purchase of at least 750 dirhams (approximately €188) within the IKEA collection dedicated to sleep, called “Complete Sleep Collection” and available in store in the United Arab Emirates.
Looking for some digital detox
IKEA’s initiative is undoubtedly original and interesting, also due to its ability to refer to your world of household items and products to be assembled. Furthermore, it is a system that uses technology to encourage a healthy habit such as disconnecting from your smartphone before sleeping.
It is a proposal that, although initially appearing ironic or playful, addresses a concrete problem. Intensive use of social media and apps in the evening is in fact one of the main causes of insomnia or fragmented sleep, often linked to the inability to disconnect from notifications or the infinite flow of content.
Even if not using your smartphone in the evening does not automatically equate to sleep more and betterit is now known that using technology before going to bed is not a healthy habit. Rather than suggesting more radical solutions such as switching to minimalist phones or activating specific modes of the smartphone operating system, IKEA offers a softer and more accessible approach. With this gadget, yes invites the user to make a symbolic gesture and concrete at the same time, like “putting your phone to sleep” before going to bed. The reward system adds that playful and motivational component that users like so much because it offers a daily or weekly goal to achieve.
