Sleeping Sorting Hat

X-ray of Sleeping Sorting Hat
Mock-up of user product
Close-up of Sleeping Sorting Hat w/ wires connecting EEGs on cap
Close-up of Pillow w/ pressure sensor and wires leading to charging port/magnet connnector

Inspiration

We all have a general interest in neuroscience and neuroengineering’s intersection with brain-computing technology. Although we had not considered sleep medicine as a potential field to enter previously, after listening to Dr Coon and his work at APL, we decided that this could be an interesting field to dive into. Furthermore, as we are all considering conducting research within the Brain-Computer Interface field, we felt that pursuing this particular project/track would help us begin our journeys towards neuroengineering.

What it does

The “Sleeping Sorting Hat” deploys several electroencephalograms (EEGs) to measure brain waves and brain activity. EMG sensors are utilized to track eye movement, especially during REM (Rapid Eye Movement) and non-REM (non-Rapid Eye Movement) sleep. In the Pillow, a pressure sensor monitors the movement of the head as the user sleeps and is able to collect other data categories, including pulse. Together, the Sleeping Sorting Hat and its complimentary Pillow are an all-in-one EEG effective, and practical, sleep monitoring package.

How we built it

We constructed mock diagrams of our novel solution in CAD. Although no physical prototypes were planned during this hackathon duration, we may do so if we generate enough interest and funding in our product.

Challenges we ran into

There were a lot of obstacles that we ran into when coming to a consensus on which final device to use. We found there to be many tradeoffs, such as comfort for data quality and vice versa, which made our decision much more difficult and time-consuming. Because of this, we ended up taking much more time than was expected to deliberate and choose a final product, and in retrospect, this likely hurt our prospects.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We’re proud that we came up with several possible solutions to the issue that Dr Coon put forward. For example, besides the main “hat” that we settled on, we also came up with and found several research sources pertaining to an in-ear dry electrode device.

What we learned

Throughout this project, we learned many new terminologies and methods of monitoring electric sensitivity. The very first terms we learned included EEGs and electrodes, which we discovered were vital to our design and eventual mock-ups. Technical aspects were also addressed during this learning phase, such as . We also kept finding new user issues after solving another; for example, after we solved the issue of having a memory-foam pillow, there arose the issue of making sure the sensors were gathering data from a single consistent point; then, the problem began revolving around comfort and whether a user really would enjoy locking their head into a single position while they slept.

What's next for Sleeping Sorting Hat

If significant funding is acquired, we will move forward with experimenting/testing and possibly try new ideas (such as the thermoform-manufactured ear-piece).