Philips x Kokoon: There are new sleep headphones again
23/6/2023
Translation: machine translated
Audio manufacturers are constantly trying to produce headphones for better sleep. The latest comes from a co-operation between Philips and Kokoon - and comes with a familiar design.
Audio manufacturers have their sights set on the sleepless - that's nothing new. Even the first SleepBuds from Bose promised sweet dreams in 2018. Not much came of it. Bose's second version of the buds didn't knock anyone's socks off, or into bed. And the Sleeping Buds from QuietOn weren't convincing either.
Now Philips and Kokoon are trying. The latter is an English company that has already launched several sleeping headphones on the market.
Source: Kokoon
With artificial intelligence: these are the Sleep Headphones
Unlike conventional headphones, the Sleep Headphones are designed to help you fall asleep and stay asleep better with "intelligent audio cancellation". You can use the Kokoon app to play meditation sounds, white noise, your own music or a podcast. According to the manufacturer, the app also uses AI to analyse your sleep and take measures to improve it.
The earbuds are equipped with biometric sensors - an optical sensor and a proximity sensor, as Kokoon writes. Like the SleepBuds from Bose, these buds do not have active noise cancellation, but merely "mask" the noise: they suppress it passively and with the sound from the earphones. I suspect that this compromise solution was chosen due to the compact design.
The design of the Sleep Headphones is reminiscent of older headphone models, which are connected with a neckband. Nevertheless, it has won a Red Dot Award. The earphones are also supposed to be suitable for sleeping on your side. Many earphones are too big for this and hurt.
Source: Kokoon
According to the manufacturer, the sleep headphones were developed in collaboration with sleep researchers. They are said to be particularly suitable in noisy environments such as on aeroplanes or next to snoring partners.
Orderable on Kickstarter
The Sleep Headphones can be ordered on Kickstarter starting at £140 (around 160 francs).
Philips achieved sales of almost 18 million euros last year. I find it questionable why the company is relying on crowdfunding. Nevertheless, it's exciting that manufacturers such as Philips and Kokoon are once again trying to help the sleepless. Perhaps more successfully than Bose?
Testing devices and gadgets is my thing. Some experiments lead to interesting insights, others to demolished phones. I’m hooked on series and can’t imagine life without Netflix. In summer, you’ll find me soaking up the sun by the lake or at a music festival.