Audio electronics manufacturer Bose has never been a leader in consumer sleep technologies. Its Sleepbuds II earphones, which were re-launched in late 2020 after the first edition was discontinued due to hardware issues, play tracks to cover up ambient noise and help users sleep. 

In October 2020, the Patent Forecast® also reported on Bose's most recently published patent application, which covered earphones embedded with microphones that could detect sleep based on respiratory sounds. Now, Bose has had another application publish that integrates electrocardiogram (ECG) and electroencephalogram (EEG) sensors as well as nerve stimulation into earphones. The company has around 40 patents and applications related to sleep, but most of them do not translate to available products. Similarly, these newly filed features are not publicly available yet, though Bose’s relaunch of the Sleepbuds II earphones suggests the company is still interested in moving into the space. The earphone technology but would certainly put Bose on par with other sleep headphone manufacturers such as Samsung or British startup Kokoon. Keeping track of patent publications is a sure way to anticipate what products will come to market in the future, and you can stay up to date with our Consumer Sleep Patent Forecast®.