ElectricSleep - Smart Alarm & Sleep Analysis

[jondwillis]

Hey guys,

In an effort to spread its popularity, I though I would share my open-source app, ElectricSleep here. It has been in beta for a couple months and is starting to get pretty stable and more and more feature rich.

==boilerplate from market:
Improve the quality of your sleep with this smart alarm clock.
ElectricSleep is an alarm clock that records your sleep cycles and wakes you up gently during a light sleep cycle. The sleep data it records is saved and analyzed so that you can understand and improve upon your sleeping habits.

Please donate to support development!

Features:

• records and saves your sleep cycle data.
• alarm clock gently wakes you during light sleep.
• analyzes sleep trends (debt, quality, duration, etc.)

Market link:
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.androsz.electricsleepbeta

Manual download:
http://code.google.com/p/electricsleep/downloads/list

SS:

 

[perosredo]

Could you explain how this works/the science behind it etc?

 

[Daegron]

The question that comes up everytime I see such an app:
Do you have it under your pillow or something to check how you move?

Because mostly my phone is just on a drawer at night.

 

[LayZeeDK]

I sleep in a double bed with my pregnant wife and two small dogs. Will it work for me, and where should I place my phone?

 

[uncletaz]

Could you explain how this works/the science behind it etc?

I believe (I am not expert), that the science behind it has something to do with the amount of movements you make in your bed. Every stage of sleep can then be recognized by the phone (app). It does require (at least I think so) some training to recognize your sleep-"style".

and....you will have to put it on your bed itself (besides your pillow, never under it! >heat etc..<)

I am going to try it though...

 

[2n2u]

Looks good

 

[jondwillis]

I sleep in a double bed with my pregnant wife and two small dogs. Will it work for me, and where should I place my phone?

Probably not as well as it should, but give it a try. Put it as close to your body as you can, so as to minimize the movement it picks up from others.

 

[jondwillis]

(didn't see multiquote!!)

Could you explain how this works/the science behind it etc?

At the most basic level, it will alarm if you move right before your alarm is set.
Taken from wikipedia: "There is a greater amount of deep sleep (stage N3) earlier in the sleep cycle, while the proportion of REM sleep increases later in the sleep cycle and just before natural awakening." During REM, your muscles are more or less paralyzed, and you will not move. Right after, during lighter stages, you will. This is when the smart alarm acts.

The question that comes up everytime I see such an app:
Do you have it under your pillow or something to check how you move?

Because mostly my phone is just on a drawer at night.

I don't personally have it under my pillow, but rather about a foot or two away on the top corner of my bed (and I have a relatively hard bed.) It does need to be near you though

 

[GoCkillaz]

Currently using the most recent Beta version from your website! Downloaded it last night! Works great so far!

 

[perosredo]

Currently using the most recent Beta version from your website! Downloaded it last night! Works great so far!

Sounds promising, but the 'setup' part of it is much more difficult than it should be.

Perhaps you should have it prompt for an action and then a confirmation that it's been done; all that 'line-pulling' needs to be done by the app...

 

[AndyCr15]

Is the free beta version still receiving updates?

I thought I read that it wasn't. If that's the case, the paid version shouldn't really be called 'Donate' should it?

 

[jondwillis]

Sounds promising, but the 'setup' part of it is much more difficult than it should be.

Perhaps you should have it prompt for an action and then a confirmation that it's been done; all that 'line-pulling' needs to be done by the app...

I know the calibration/setup process can use some streamlining, but care to expand on what you meant by the last sentence?

Is the free beta version still receiving updates?

I thought I read that it wasn't. If that's the case, the paid version shouldn't really be called 'Donate' should it?

No, the beta period is over, and I am no longer providing regular updates to the market, except through the donate version of the app. Maybe it shouldn't be called donate, but there's a free, fully updated version available from off my website code.google.com/p/electricsleep/downloads/list

 

[perosredo]

care to expand on what you meant by the last sentence?

Sure:

The app essentially asks me to memorize a sequence of tasks (moving, laying still) and a sequence of corresponding adjustments I have to make to a rolling graph; I then have to perform this without further aides. The app tells you what the optimal adjustments are.

It would probably be more user-friendly if the app had simple/advanced calibration options. For the simple, you could just have it prompt the user to move around the bed for a few seconds, then hit a button when they're finished. The app knows what the optimal setting is in relation to the performed task so it should be able to adjust the calibration without having the need for rendering any graph nor any user input. Rinse and repeat for laying still.

Hope that makes sense...

 

[jondwillis]

Sure:

The app essentially asks me to memorize a sequence of tasks (moving, laying still) and a sequence of corresponding adjustments I have to make to a rolling graph; I then have to perform this without further aides. The app tells you what the optimal adjustments are.

It would probably be more user-friendly if the app had simple/advanced calibration options. For the simple, you could just have it prompt the user to move around the bed for a few seconds, then hit a button when they're finished. The app knows what the optimal setting is in relation to the performed task so it should be able to adjust the calibration without having the need for rendering any graph nor any user input. Rinse and repeat for laying still.

Hope that makes sense...

I originally had automatic calibration like how you described. The problem was that there was a TON of user error, compounded by subtle differences/bugs in devices (see stackoverflow.com/questions/4099706/android-accelerometer-on-motodroid-1-reports-incorrect-values-at-first ) I changed to the way it is now, and there have been far less complaints about sensitivity being too low/high.

 

[Xingularity]

...........

 

[perosredo]

I originally had automatic calibration like how you described. The problem was that there was a TON of user error, compounded by subtle differences/bugs in devices (see stackoverflow.com/questions/4099706/android-accelerometer-on-motodroid-1-reports-incorrect-values-at-first ) I changed to the way it is now, and there have been far less complaints about sensitivity being too low/high.

Could you at least add aides so that the user is not forced to memorize what is to be done and how it should be done? Would help tremendously.

 

[Aztriltus]

How do I tell the app to give me soft alarm whenever it's my light sleep? Or am I just sleeping too soundly? And what's the point of the alarms set by me because i usually get awoken by them instead if I'm not wrong. I've set them at 1.5 h interval.

I'm also not sure if my calibration is correct. Can you show me a screenshot of how the review of a night's sleep looks like? When it's my light sleep, the green graph shoots all the way up to the end of the screen then comes back down afterwards. Is that correct? Thanks

 

[jondwillis]

Could you at least add aides so that the user is not forced to memorize what is to be done and how it should be done? Would help tremendously.

Aides... like images explaining calibration? or do you mean a beep or something when you go over the white line?

How do I tell the app to give me soft alarm whenever it's my light sleep? Or am I just sleeping too soundly? And what's the point of the alarms set by me because i usually get awoken by them instead if I'm not wrong. I've set them at 1.5 h interval.

I'm also not sure if my calibration is correct. Can you show me a screenshot of how the review of a night's sleep looks like? When it's my light sleep, the green graph shoots all the way up to the end of the screen then comes back down afterwards. Is that correct? Thanks

Let me get this straight: you WANT the app to wake you up throughout a sleep, whenever you are in light sleep? If so, I can't help but wonder why...! Yes, the graph should be something like a couple green spikes that are near each other when you are in lighter sleep.

 

[EbOoZ]

Sounds promising! I will check it the upcoming night!

 

[tippingvan]

I work in the field of sleep diagnostics/sleep studies. I don't have this app and have never tried it, i don't have android right now. But from what i have read on this thread, the app will wake you up after REM sleep. Which is good for in the morning, but not during the night. Your body can go through REM a few times a night. Not sure how it knows you are in REM, just because your body does not move doesn't mean your in REM sleep/deep sleep. It could mean you're in REM, but not always. Usually the only way to tell sleep stages is with an EEG, or brain activity/waves. N3 and REM are the stages you want to have to wake up feeling rejuvenated.

Couple suggestions to help with your app if you dont already have them:
-add microphone recording for snoring, and if you could measure the level/severity of the snore. could help with sleep apnea recognition.
- show the basic pattern of the persons sleep, ex. snore pattern, movements. Sleep is very cyclical and repeats itself through the night. you could tie this together with the snore mic, and maybe able to see apnea if severe.
-if the accelerometer is used for movements in bed during sleep, can you measure the level/severity of the movement? if so you could possibly tell the difference between body position changes, and periodic limb movements (restless leg syndrome).
-people could then see how they sleep in different positions. usually side is the best, on the back is the worst.

Just thinking of the top of my head. Great idea for an app. Sleep hygiene and sleep disorders really need to have more public awareness. So hopefully people will get your app, and decide to have a sleep study done, and make me money! ha ha great app!