Nearables

As I approach the conclusion of my PhD project focused on wrist-worn accelerometers, I often find myself contemplating the future of wearable technology. There is no doubt in my mind that the adoption of smart devices - phones, watches, and beyond — will continue to expand. However, my recent interest has shifted towards a different category of devices, now commonly referred to as ‘nearables.’

During one of my earliest days in the lab, I strapped on a wrist-worn accelerometer to observe my own data over several days. That first night, however, I encountered a significant issue: I simply could not fall asleep while wearing the device. As the hours passed, an increasing discomfort made it impossible to ignore, and eventually, I had no choice but to remove the accelerometer. Only then was I able to get a restful night’s sleep. This experience sparked several critical questions in my mind regarding the use of wrist-worn devices for sleep monitoring:

• What proportion of the population similarly struggles to sleep while wearing a smartwatch?
• Would this discomfort introduce accessibility challenges in our models and studies?
• Could this disturbance lead to bias in research findings, as those who struggle with sleep monitoring may be underrepresented in studies?
• Could this disturbance lead to subtle changes in monitored sleep behaviour, that wouldn’t exist without the device?

As my research progressed, my project shifted towards activity monitoring rather than sleep analysis, meaning I never had to directly address these concerns. However, I now believe that an ideal solution to these issues is emerging: sleep mats.

Devices such as the Withings Sleep Tracking Mat offer a truly passive approach to sleep monitoring. Placed beneath the mattress, these mats track both sleep versus wake cycles and sleep stages without requiring direct contact with the user. Their passive data collection provides a seamless alternative to wrist-worn devices, eliminating the discomfort that some individuals may experience.

While I hold great optimism for the future of sleep mats, several challenges remain. Firstly, further clinical studies are needed to validate their accuracy in detecting sleep and sleep stages. Secondly, the cost of these mats remains relatively high, creating a barrier to widespread adoption and limiting their potential for large-scale studies. Finally, it remains to be seen whether users will maintain long-term engagement with these devices or if interest will wane after a few weeks.

Despite these concerns, I believe sleep mats represent a significant step forward in the evolution of sleep monitoring. As wearable technology continues to develop, the integration of nearables may offer a more comfortable and accessible alternative to traditional smart devices, ultimately enhancing the accuracy and inclusivity of sleep research.