Smart Phones May Detect Sleep Disorders

Technology for screening and diagnosing sleep disorders, and for waking users at the best times in their sleep cycles, has been developed by researchers at two Finnish universities, Tampere University of Technology and the University of Helsinki, who say the first application of the new technology, a smart alarm clock for mobile phones, HappyWakeUp, is now available. The researchers first noticed that a common microphone is very sensitive to any sounds and voices produced by movements in the bed during night-time, they say, and can adapt that technology for the detection of restless sleep, leg movements associated with restless leg syndrome and screening for snoring and sleep apnea. The technology makes it possible to perform several repeated all-night recordings and to diagnose sleep disorders in countries and areas with no previous sleep recording facilities, according to researchers, who say the new technology is extremely cost-efficient, compared to the use of existing sp ecial medical recording devices.

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