Named PureTone Motion, the newly launched technology represents a significant leap forward for smartphone sleep tracking and also powers Reviva Softworks’ new relaxation app, Motionscape. 

The patented technology uses the phone’s speaker to emit a constant, high-frequency tone above human hearing range and analyses the signal received by the microphone to detect nearby movements. Sleepwave moves beyond existing attempts at acoustic motion sensing on phones, with their patented techniques enabling accurate, directional tracking of slow movements. 

The technology’s inventor and Sleepwave founder, Jules Goldberg, expresses his excitement, stating: “Following intensive in-house R&D, our innovation offers highly accurate, inaudible motion detection from a phone beside a bed. The technology is sensitive to both large body movements and small chest movements, enabling sleep tracking accuracy that can rival wearable devices.”

Wearable and non-wearable sleep tracking devices have grown in popularity over the past decade. Most phone-based sleep trackers use sound recognition to monitor noises made by a user throughout the night. However, sound-based techniques can misinterpret noises, such as a passing car, as movements and have limited capabilities for detecting respiratory rate or distinguishing between bed partners.

Wearable devices, often considered the gold standard in consumer sleep tracking, require physical contact between the device and user. A recent survey of 2,000 adults commissioned by Sleepwave and conducted by OnePoll revealed that 43% of respondents find sleeping with a wearable device uncomfortable and over a third said they need to charge their devices overnight. With Sleepwave's new PureTone Motion technology, these concerns are now a thing of the past.

“We've essentially created a whole new sense for your phone that revolutionises sleep tracking and has many other exciting applications,” says Jules Goldberg.

From controlling video games to transforming speakers into home security systems, the technology’s potential applications are extensive. There is also scope to integrate this technology into other hardware devices without the need for any add-ons.

The latest implementation of this technology is in the company’s new relaxation app, Motionscape (available on iOS). Featuring satisfying interactive visuals and breathing exercises that respond to your movements, the app provides users with a quick, calming experience. After using Motionscape, 91% of testers said they feel more calm and 79% reported feeling less stressed.

“Motionscape uses our patented technology to create a truly novel relaxation experience. Mesmerising patterns such as energy orbs respond to your movements in an immersive, satisfying way. It is ideal for a quick dose of stress relief and fun!” explains Jules Goldberg.