Hacker News Reader

HNHacker News

Top New Best Ask Show Jobs

Comment by jaysonelliot | Hacker News Reader

Full thread

jaysonelliot·

Congratulations to the team, it's a big day!

I currently use the Sleep Cycle app, which uses the iPhone's accelerometer to detect motion while asleep.

How does WakeMate stack up against that app?

View on HN

WakeMate uses a science called actigraphy to monitor your sleep patterns by measuring the movement of your body (via your wrist). Actigraphy has been used in sleep labs for decades and is a widely standardized metric of sleep in humans (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Actigraphy). The Sleep Cycle app, because it is not attached to your body, does not use actigraphy, and therefore cannot provide the same granular level of data measurement as a device using actigraphy, such as the WakeMate. Furthermore, Sleep Cycle is susceptible to false data collection since it can be easily influenced by the presence of others in the bed, such as a partner or pet.

If you're willing to attach an iOS device to your body while you sleep (between two socks works great, or with an armband) you can try an actigraphy-accurate smart alarm with my app:

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/circadian-alarm/id330721657?m...

It's a dollar in the store but email me at michael at programmablelife dot com and I'll give you a coupon so you don't have to pay.

I'm curious about this too. The sleepcycle app never worked too well for me, but I'm assuming that's because it can't be as accurate as a wristband.

You have to actually sleep with your phone? My phone charges while I sleep, so you'd have to sleep with the cord?

For Sleep Cycle, you just leave the phone on the mattress so you can charge at the same time. For something like Circadian Alarm you need to plug in for 20 mins before bed to get enough juice for the night.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com