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Smart pyjamas offer a breakthrough in sleep monitoring

Innovative wearable tracks sleep patterns with precision, making at-home diagnosis easier than ever

18-Feb-2025

Key points from article :

Cambridge University researchers have developed smart pyjamas equipped with advanced sensors to monitor sleep conditions at home. Led by Professor Luigi Occhipinti from the Cambridge Graphene Centre, the study—published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS)—introduces an innovative alternative to traditional sleep monitoring, which typically involves complex and uncomfortable equipment.

The smart pyjamas feature an ultrasensitive sensor array printed on the collar, designed to detect subtle vibrations linked to various sleep states. These sensors, trained using artificial intelligence, can accurately identify six different sleep patterns with 98.6% accuracy while filtering out normal movements like tossing and turning. Unlike wearable devices such as smartwatches, which only estimate sleep quality, these garments provide precise, real-time monitoring of sleep-related issues such as mouth breathing, snoring, and sleep apnoea.

The team designed the pyjamas to be comfortable, washable, and capable of wireless data transfer, allowing users to track their sleep patterns via a smartphone or computer. By making reliable sleep tracking accessible at home, the researchers believe the technology could aid in early detection of sleep disorders and associated chronic health conditions, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Future developments aim to enhance the sensors’ durability and expand their use for applications like baby monitoring and broader health assessments.

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Luigi Occhipinti

Director of Research in Graphene at University of Cambridge

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS)

Multidisciplinary scientific journal, official journal of the National Academy of Sciences

University of Cambridge

Collegiate research university in Cambridge, United Kingdom

Topics mentioned on this page:
Sleep, Wearable Sensors
Smart pyjamas offer a breakthrough in sleep monitoring