Alarm Targets Optimal Time to Awaken Brain
Tuesday, November 1st, 2011
During any 90 minute cycle there are definite windows of time when it is best to wake up. These correspond to times when we are easy to arouse and will awaken refreshed rather than feeling groggy. Fortunately, we can measure these optimal times to awake using an EEG. A team of researcher have used this fact to create an alarm clock that uses sleep analysis:
“Using known scientific knowledge of the human sleep cycle and its characteristic brain activity, the clock sounds its alarm when the user is in an easily aroused state within a time period set by the user.”
Awakening more refreshed can have a big impact on your day. The clock is still in the experimental stage making use of an awkward EEG hookup. A more commercial version would use a simple headband with wireless sensors and collect additional information about your sleep state.
A brain-optimized alarm clock would be high on any cognitive designer’s holiday gift list.
