This week saw the 19th International Robot Exhibition (IREX) held at Tokyo Big Sight displaying the world's most advanced, innovative and sometimes plain bizarre robots.
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Dr Kabe from Waseda University's Kabe Lab in the Faculty of Human Science demonstrated a number of different concepts that all centered around providing care or comfort with the aid of technology. One such idea was the "Jukusui-kun" (Deep Sleep), a robotic pillow like device in the shape of a polar bear that looks at helping the more than 2million patients who suffer "Sleep Apnea Syndrome" in Japan (those who suffer breathing difficulties while sleeping...chronic snorers!).
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When the oxygen level decreases in the patient resulting in the snore level increasing it triggers the bear-pillow's hand to move towards the sleepers face. Gently brushing the face causes the person to then turn from lying on their back to moving onto their side, a more conducive postion for a sound, snoreless nights sleep.
Right. Cause having your pillow move under you and brush your face would in no way wake you the hell up and totally disrupt your sleep entirely.
