Launching new smart cameras and robot-assisted security patrols is not enough for Amazon; the tech giant launched another product that could potentially have a big impact on our privacy.
It’s a bedside sleep tracker that is a part of the company’s Halo line of fitness gadgets, the first of which was launched in 2020.
The new product, called Halo Rise, is designed to sit on a bedside table from where it can track your sleep for $129.
“Prioritizing sleep isn’t just about getting more sleep. It’s about finding the right balance between great sleep and the habits and activities you do during the day,” Amazon’s Njenga Kariuki said during the product announcement. “We call this ‘sleep-life harmony,’ and we strive to invent devices and services that remove the obstacles that disrupt this balance.”
Halo Rise does its magic by relying on contactless sensors to detect sleep quality and states, coupled with movements and breathing patterns. It offers a graph of REM, light and deep sleep, along with additional information such as ambient room temperature, humidity and light to determine how they impact sleep quality.
It uses a sleep algorithm that has been trained and validated against overnight polysomnography-the clinical gold standard for sleep analysis. Halo Rise harnesses powerful ambient technology that’s always ready, automatically starting your sleep session when you get into bed with no buttons to press or batteries to charge.
There is something to be said about non-wearable sleep trackers – they tend to be more used than those you have to wear in your bed. Privacy concerns are there, though Amazon noted that the Rise doesn’t have cameras or microphones on board.
The system does have an alarm that is tied to your sleep stages to wake you up at just the right time. This alarm uses a wakeup light that simulates sunrise via 300 LEDs, paired with a speaker. Plus, there is the additional smart home functionality on board along with Alexa integration so that your Echo speaker can provide you with some sleep insights. And so that Amazon could know even more about you.
The Halo Rise will start shipping later this year and will come with six months of Amazon’s premium Halo service.
At the end of the day, you will be paying Amazon for the “privilege” of taking as much data as they can about you. Fighting for your privacy starts with your wallet, as in – you should be careful what you’re spending your money on. Otherwise, you may soon start receiving new bedsheets on a regular basis as soon as the Rise notice that your sleep could be improved. It’s a scary world when you think about it.