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| Sleep sensor breaks through $1m on Kickstarter | Sleep sensor breaks through $1m on Kickstarter |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| A 22-year-old British entrepreneur's new sleep-tracking kit has cracked $1.3m (£809,000) in its first week on Kickstarter's crowdfunding platform. | |
| James Proud launched his product, Sense, on 23 July with a goal of raising $100,000 within 30 days. | James Proud launched his product, Sense, on 23 July with a goal of raising $100,000 within 30 days. |
| But it passed the $1m-mark on Sunday, and has been forecast to raise more than $4m by the period's end. | But it passed the $1m-mark on Sunday, and has been forecast to raise more than $4m by the period's end. |
| Sense includes an orb that monitors the bedroom, a clip that attaches to the pillow, and a mobile phone app. | Sense includes an orb that monitors the bedroom, a clip that attaches to the pillow, and a mobile phone app. |
| The equipment produces a unique score for the previous night's sleep and aims to wake the owner up at the best point in their sleep cycle. | The equipment produces a unique score for the previous night's sleep and aims to wake the owner up at the best point in their sleep cycle. |
| It is due to be released in November and can be ordered in advance for $129. | It is due to be released in November and can be ordered in advance for $129. |
| Mr Proud said sleep was a natural area to focus on. | Mr Proud said sleep was a natural area to focus on. |
| "We spend a third of our day doing it," he told the BBC. | "We spend a third of our day doing it," he told the BBC. |
| "It's the most critical part of the day, as how we perform when we're awake depends on how well we slept." | "It's the most critical part of the day, as how we perform when we're awake depends on how well we slept." |
| Sense is one of a growing number of sleep-focused products as "smart" technologies start to filter into homes, offering new ways to track our health. | Sense is one of a growing number of sleep-focused products as "smart" technologies start to filter into homes, offering new ways to track our health. |
| Apps such as Sleep Cycle, Sleepbot and Sleepmaster are already used by iPhone, Android and Windows Phone users to track their slumber using sensors built into the handsets. | Apps such as Sleep Cycle, Sleepbot and Sleepmaster are already used by iPhone, Android and Windows Phone users to track their slumber using sensors built into the handsets. |
| There are also specialist hardware devices such as Aura, from the French firm Withings, and a $8,000 "snore-stopping" bed. | There are also specialist hardware devices such as Aura, from the French firm Withings, and a $8,000 "snore-stopping" bed. |
| Sleep tech sceptic | Sleep tech sceptic |
| Earlier this year, Apple announced its forthcoming Healthkit app, which can gather sleep-related data from third-party devices. The 9to5Mac news site also reported the company had hired Roy Raymann, a Dutch sleep research expert, fuelling speculation the company may be about to release its own sleep-monitoring smart watch. | Earlier this year, Apple announced its forthcoming Healthkit app, which can gather sleep-related data from third-party devices. The 9to5Mac news site also reported the company had hired Roy Raymann, a Dutch sleep research expert, fuelling speculation the company may be about to release its own sleep-monitoring smart watch. |
| Its rival Samsung, already offers the Gear 2 smartwatch, which runs sleep-tracking software. And most recently, China's Xiaomi began selling one of the cheapest sleep-monitoring wearables on the market - the $13 MiBand. | Its rival Samsung, already offers the Gear 2 smartwatch, which runs sleep-tracking software. And most recently, China's Xiaomi began selling one of the cheapest sleep-monitoring wearables on the market - the $13 MiBand. |
| But one expert told the BBC such products had limited use beyond "nagging" the user to go to bed earlier. | But one expert told the BBC such products had limited use beyond "nagging" the user to go to bed earlier. |
| "If you want to learn whether you sleep on certain nights and not on others, then it should be looked at as a form of harmless entertainment," Prof Jerry Siegel from University of California, Los Angeles' Center for Sleep Research said. | "If you want to learn whether you sleep on certain nights and not on others, then it should be looked at as a form of harmless entertainment," Prof Jerry Siegel from University of California, Los Angeles' Center for Sleep Research said. |
| "But the most common sleep problem is insomnia, and there's nothing that you're going to get from one of these devices that is going to be useful in treating insomnia. | "But the most common sleep problem is insomnia, and there's nothing that you're going to get from one of these devices that is going to be useful in treating insomnia. |
| "The other problem that is important to identify is sleep apnoea [a condition where the walls of the throat relax and interrupt breathing]. | "The other problem that is important to identify is sleep apnoea [a condition where the walls of the throat relax and interrupt breathing]. |
| "We know that this will shorten your lifespan and we have several treatments... but none of these devices will help you detect it." | "We know that this will shorten your lifespan and we have several treatments... but none of these devices will help you detect it." |
| However, the US's National Sleep Foundation was more optimistic about the potential benefits of such innovations in May, when it announced a partnership with the US's Consumer Electronics Association to create new standards for sleep-related tech. | However, the US's National Sleep Foundation was more optimistic about the potential benefits of such innovations in May, when it announced a partnership with the US's Consumer Electronics Association to create new standards for sleep-related tech. |
| "We know that getting enough sleep and getting quality sleep have amazing health benefits, including improved mood, concentration, memory and productivity, and the ability to maintain a healthy weight," said David Cloud, chief executive of the foundation. | "We know that getting enough sleep and getting quality sleep have amazing health benefits, including improved mood, concentration, memory and productivity, and the ability to maintain a healthy weight," said David Cloud, chief executive of the foundation. |
| "Given the technology to properly monitor their own sleep quality, consumers can better understand the link between their sleep and their health, and set goals for improvement." | "Given the technology to properly monitor their own sleep quality, consumers can better understand the link between their sleep and their health, and set goals for improvement." |
| 'Critical' | 'Critical' |
| Mr Proud, was born in South London but developed Sense in California. | Mr Proud, was born in South London but developed Sense in California. |
| He took a gap-year break between school and university. "If I went to university, I quickly realised I couldn't code 18 hours a day," he told the BBC. | He took a gap-year break between school and university. "If I went to university, I quickly realised I couldn't code 18 hours a day," he told the BBC. |
| He ended up moving to California to take a "fellowship" from Peter Thiel, the co-creator of PayPal and one of the first people to put money into Facebook. | He ended up moving to California to take a "fellowship" from Peter Thiel, the co-creator of PayPal and one of the first people to put money into Facebook. |
| The move secured him a $100,000 grant to forgo higher education and instead build his own tech start-up. | The move secured him a $100,000 grant to forgo higher education and instead build his own tech start-up. |
| The young entrepreneur raised more money and started Hello, the company that makes Sense. | The young entrepreneur raised more money and started Hello, the company that makes Sense. |
| Hello currently employs about 20 people, including engineers and product designers, who are responsible for its distinctive look. | Hello currently employs about 20 people, including engineers and product designers, who are responsible for its distinctive look. |
| "We wanted to make something that didn't look like technology, but that looked like it should be there regardless," said Mr Proud. | "We wanted to make something that didn't look like technology, but that looked like it should be there regardless," said Mr Proud. |
| He added that he planned to use the additional cash raised from Kickstarter to fulfil more orders and get the kit into the hands of more people. | He added that he planned to use the additional cash raised from Kickstarter to fulfil more orders and get the kit into the hands of more people. |
| Based on the amount of money the campaign has raised so far, the analytics site Kicktraq projects that Sense should raise between £4m and $7m by the end of its funding period. | Based on the amount of money the campaign has raised so far, the analytics site Kicktraq projects that Sense should raise between £4m and $7m by the end of its funding period. |
| But Mr Proud said he created the crowdfunding campaign not for cash but rather for feedback. | But Mr Proud said he created the crowdfunding campaign not for cash but rather for feedback. |
| "The valuable thing about Kickstarter is the community," he said. | "The valuable thing about Kickstarter is the community," he said. |
| "The amount of feedback we've had is amazing, which we wouldn't have had if we had just put it up on our website." | "The amount of feedback we've had is amazing, which we wouldn't have had if we had just put it up on our website." |