Google Nest Hub: Self-monitoring for better sleep – Digital

A device with a motion sensor stands next to the bed and spits out a performance report every morning – you may get the wrong idea. But Google’s latest development is suitable for young people, who are single and measure harmless activity: sleep. But why constantly listen to the gadget with microphone in your bedroom and record even the tiniest movements under the cards?

Google hopes Nest Hub can provide an answer. According to studies, every third adult sleeps very little. This increases the risk of developing dementia or developing a heart condition and leads to thousands of serious car accidents each year. That’s why Google created a device to help people sleep better.

At first glance, the new Nest Hub looks like the first generation: a smart display created by other manufacturers. You can watch YouTube and Netflix videos, listen to music and consult the built-in Google Assistant. Half the world makes video calls in the home office, but Google does without the camera. It’s smart because Nest Hub only exhibits its potential on the bedside table. Most people out there want to go unnoticed.

No puffing, no snoring will be noticed

For the sleep sensor, Google relied on an old friend: the Chloe chip, which was already used in pixel cell phones. The radar system detects if you are lying on the bed and your chest lifting rhythm. Along with a microphone that records snoring and coughing, the Nest Hub can record sleep quality. It actually works in testing. If you wake up tired, the rating usually sees a restless night.

This is followed by three questions. First, do I need a device that tells me why I’m tired or do I go to bed the next evening? Second: Do I trust Google that all data will be processed locally and will only end with a brief sleep map on Google’s servers? Third: Self-measured value of 100 euros and a subscription fee that Google has not yet finalized since next year? Nest Hub serves well for those who answer yes three times. If you have any doubts, you can try to get the smartphone out of the bedroom instead of buying more technology – it should have helped.