Nitetronic A1

Nitetronic was founded in Hamburg, Germany, in 2012, and the company says it previously developed a clinically recognized smart anti-snoring pillow it describes as the world's first. The A1 is its new model, which the maker says reflects 12 months of research and substantial changes to both hardware and software.

How it works

When the pillow's microphone picks up snoring, internal air chambers inflate and slowly guide the sleeper's head toward a side-lying position. The intent, according to Nitetronic, is to open the airway and reduce snoring without waking the user. The maker cites a snore-recognition accuracy of 99.1%, and says the system filters out ambient sounds such as footsteps, music and conversation. The audio analysis algorithm is attributed to a research team led by Qin, with work published in the journal Modeling and Simulation.

Inside are six independent flexible airbags and six head-position sensors, arranged so the pillow can track posture wherever the head rests. Because each airbag operates individually, the maker says adjustments can be tailored to head position and snoring pattern, addressing complaints that earlier anti-snoring products were too coarse or only worked in certain sleeping positions.

• Adapts intervention to sleep stage, with very light adjustments during REM and somewhat stronger ones in deep sleep when needed, per the maker
• Identifies snoring types (soft palate, epiglottis and tongue base) and adjusts head-rotation angle, airbag lift height and intervention speed accordingly
• Two modes: Standard for mild to moderate snoring, and Enhanced for severe snoring

The companion app

The app records more than 10 metrics, including snoring type, duration, decibel level and severity, along with the count, distribution, duration and severity of breathing abnormalities. Nitetronic says the app can be tried before owning the pillow. An obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) early-warning feature flags irregular snoring or pauses in breathing and recommends seeing a specialist; it requires a premium app subscription, with a one-month free trial offered to backers, according to the campaign.

The product's rationale rests on research cited by the maker indicating that about 70% of snorers snore more heavily on their backs, and that side sleeping substantially reduces snoring. The campaign also cites figures that around 44% of men and 28% of women snore regularly.