I’ve never seen the International Space Station at "night," when astronauts and cosmonauts go to sleep, so when I saw that I immediately though "that’s so damn cool!" "The dots near the hatch point to Soyuz if we have an emergency," says astronaut Mike Hopkins.
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One of the universal truths for most humans who appreciate things like comfort and relaxation and a collection of soft feathers and enveloping warmth and rejuvenation is that we love our sleep. It makes us feel good! And sure it wastes a lot of time but we feel like crap when we don’t have enough of it. And beyond feeling good, we sort of need it. But why do we need it? Why is it that we can die faster from lack of sleep than lack of food? Scishow explains the science behind sleep. [Scishow]
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Have you had trouble shaking that fear of snakes or dogs or spiders? Researchers from Northwestern University have developed a new technique to rechannel memories while subjects sleep—by blasting them with various odors. It’s like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind in Smell-o-Vision.
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It’s a lazy Sunday. Maybe you slept in super late; that’s kinda what Sundays are for. But what good is all that comatose-time doing you anyway? What if you just cut it out and were productive or something instead?
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We’ve all done it. After a tough day at work or a long night of drinking, the gentle motion of the subway rocks you right to sleep, and the next thing you know, you wake up in the Bronx. It’s a frustrating problem, but one app developer thinks he has the solution: a motion-based alarm clock that wakes you up at your stop.
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Tired? Sleepy? Then take a nap whenever and wherever you want to with NapAnywhere. It’s not the first take-anywhere pillow in the market (remember the Ostrich pillow?), but it’s more user-friendly and portable compared to some alternatives.
So what is NapAnywhere? It’s a head-support pillow that gives you the right amount of support when you’re sleeping in an upright position. It was created by a physician, combining engineering, architecture, and even a little bit of origami into the final design. Most people use U-shaped pillows as their headrest when they’re sleeping on the go, but if you’ve tried taking a half-hour nap on those things, then you probably already know how uncomfortable they can be.
The NapAnywhere flattens into a disc for easy storage when it’s not in use. When you want to take a nap, just unfold and it’s ready to use. NapAnywhere just hit its goal on Kickstarter, so it will be going into production.
Sleeping eye masks can only do so much. Because while they black out the real world from sight, they don’t block out the sounds that might cause you to toss and turn in bed.
If you really want to drown out the world, then you need to block out the sounds and the sights. Luckily, the Hibermate can help you out with both.
It’s an odd-looking contraption but it’s extremely effective, so much so that you wouldn’t mind looking like some alien because of the peace it brings.
The Hibermate eye mask features removable ear muffs, so you can use it just like any other traditional sleeping mask, if you prefer. The ear muffs in themselves are designed for comfort, as its made from soft, medical-grade silicon and lined with memory foam.
The Hibermate is currently up for funding on Kickstarter, where a minimum pledge of $40(USD) will get you one of your very own.
[via The Awesomer]
Viewing it from afar, you could easily mistake this gadget for Jawbone’s Up fitness band. What we have here is actually the SmartBand from Chinese fitness accessories maker Codoon, and it’s almost a carbon copy of the Up in terms appearance and functionality. Bend this strip around your wrist to track your movement and sleeping patterns (with the ability to wake you up with vibration at the optimal sleeping cycle; just like the Up), and afterwards, plug the hidden 3.5mm headphone jack into either an iPhone or an Android device for analysis and sharing through Codoon’s website.
After we reached out to Baidu regarding the Baidu Cloud logo on the SmartBand, a spokesperson told us that it’s the first wearable developed on top of Baidu’s PCS (Personal Cloud Service) to sync and share data, and Codoon’s upcoming Bluetooth fitness products will work on the same platform (likewise for the Baidu Eye project). Still, it’s a real shame that the startup couldn’t come up with its very own design for its first hero product. Expect this rip-off to hit the market in early June for an unknown price — but you can already get an Up in China, anyway.
Filed under: Wearables
Via: Engadget China, TechCrunch, Tencent Tech
Source: Codoon (Chinese)
Too tired to read your child a bedtime story? Then let his or her pajamas do the work. This’ll only work if they’ve got the Smart PJs on, because all other jammies are presumably dumb and don’t have the embedded visual codes that make these pajamas so special.
The secret is all in the design. Or rather, on the secret dot codes integrated into the design on the pajamas. All parents have to do is download an app that’s compatible with both iOS and Android devices, and they’re good to go.
Smart PJs founder Juan Murdoch explained: “We purposely created Smart PJ’s with the scannable dot patterns all over them so that parents can help the child scan the stories on their backs where they can’t reach. We also put words to all the stories and animal information on the screen so that parents can turn off the volume and help the child learn to read the stories and words themselves.”
These interactive pajamas are available in four sizes for both little boys and girls and are currently priced at just $25(USD).
[via C|NET]
As a kid, we’re sure you had a lot of questions as to how exactly astronauts perform their everyday routines while in space, such as eating, going to the bathroom and sleeping. Your inner child is in luck today as one of those questions will be answered as soon as you watch the video above as an astronaut has recorded what exactly he goes through in order to get some sleep while in space.
Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield recently recorded a video which explains how exactly astronauts are able to sleep in space. Hadfield explains the process of sleeping by showcasing a sleep pod that is located inside of the International Space Station which includes a sleeping bag that is tied to the wall. Hadfield also takes this opportunity to show the world his “space pajamas.”
The weightlessness of space doesn’t require much to be able to sleep as Hadfield says you don’t need a mattress or a pillow as you simply relax your muscles and go to sleep. Your arms will naturally raise themselves, which would result in you looking like a zombie while you sleep. Let’s just hope no one else thinks so or else you could be waking up to some serious trouble.
By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Pump-Action Oreo Separation Gun Makes Cookies Into A Deadly Weapon, Power Glove Oven Mitt Keeps You Cooking ‘So Bad’, 
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