Smart mattress manufacturer Eight Sleep recently announced the release of the Pod Pro, their newest product. The original Pod had sensors built in to monitor users' sleep cycles via physiological signals and used a water cooling method to regulate mattress temperature. The new Pod Pro retains these features while also adding environmental sensors that keep track of ambient temperature and humidity for more responsive temperature control. The Pod Pro also has a wake-up feature where coils within the mattress vibrate as a silent alarm. Both of these new features were described in patents filed by Eight Sleep as early as 2017.
Eight Sleep currently has 24 published patents and applications in the consumer sleep technology space. Other major assignees in the mattress subcategory of this sector include Gentherm, which develops thermal management materials and partners with Mattress Firm to produce mattresses; Keeson, which sells adjustable smart beds under Ergomotion; and Sleep Number. Eight Sleep is much more active in patenting environmental sensors than its competitors, which is reflected in the functionality of its smart bed compared to other products.
