If you didn't know... When prematurely awoken from REM sleep you tend to feel groggy (regardless of total length slept). REM sleep, or Rapid Eye Movement, is characterized by... you guesed it... phasic eye movements. These obvious spastic spikes in voltage are easily picked up with bioelectric sensors. Before you go to bed, you place two wireless sensors on your face and set a time window on your alarm clock (ie 500-600 am). If at 5 am you are not detectably in REM, the alarm wakes you. If you are in REM sleep at 5 am (or even just prior to 5) it gives you a buffer to naturally progress into a lesser stage of sleep so you awaken refreshed. If at 6 am you are still in REM it wakes you regardless.
-- andrewkorbel, Apr 10 2001

What I need is the anti-alarm clock. I set it when I get up, and it goes off, telling me it's time to go to bed.
-- RayfordSteele, May 11 2002


An anti-alarm clock would have an even greater 'snooze button problem' than the plain ol' alarm clock. Better make it dim the lights and turn down the radio, too.
-- andrewm, Jul 24 2002


How large would these sensors on your face be? Would they leave marks? I really dont want to have marks on my face in the morning, then walk around all day telling people, "It's from my alarm clock."
-- Bert6322, Jul 24 2002


This is a fantastic idea!

The sensors would have to be wireless... For people who move alot, the sensors would fall off, or pull the clock off the table...

Actually, these sensors are baked for a similar product. There is a device that stimulates lucidity durring sleep by flashing LEDs at your eyes durring REM. (Lucidity is dreaming, while being aware of the fact that you are asleep/dreaming... Similar to OBE's, but not really-- loads of fun). I forgot the name of the product, but it is a lightweight mask similar to the ones they give you on airplanes (a bit bulkier)

A similar mask could be made... You could make it wireless, to transmit your current state of sleep to the clock, or simply put the whole package in the mask. As small as circuits and batteries are now-days, the entire thing could be very comfortable.
-- JRandMoby, Jul 24 2002



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