Mattresses as sleep monitors

The International Classification of Sleep Disorders identifies 80 distinct sleep problems, which affect an estimated 35-40 percent of the population. The Bekaert Textiles Group, Waregem, Belgium, manufactures mattress covers, but is moving into sleep research and solutions. Its latest product, Smart Wrap, is a mattress cover with built-in sensors that monitor a sleeper’s breathing. If a sleeper stops breathing for longer than seven seconds, an alarm signal is sent to the mobile phone number of a family member or caregiver. In collaboration with Lightspeed Systems, a Dutch company making high-tech sensors, Bekaert integrated light sensors into mattress covers. The microspectrometry sensors pick up changes in the light spectrum that occur when a sleeper moves and, if values are outside of predetermined detection limits, the alarm goes off. The Smart Wrap could also measure the time a person sleeps, identify pressure points, show sleep positions or track restless leg syndrome.