iWatch team gets sleep scientist on board
Apple is adding another important member to its iWatch team and it could lead to some kind of sleep tracker being added to the mythical device.
According to reports, Apple has hired Dr. Roy J.E.M Raymann, a scientist described as an “Expert on Sleep Research, Ambulatory Monitoring, Psychophysiology, Performance Measures, Thermoregulation, Circadian Physiology and Sleep Enhancement,” according to his LinkedIn profile.
Raymann is the founder of the Philips Sleep Experience Lab, and has been with Philips Research from November 2008 to December 2013, spearheading research that has anything to do with sleep.
Before his stint at Philips, he worked at TNO Defense from May 2006 to October 2008, where he conducted research on sleep, thermoregulation and wearable physiological sensors, focusing on soldiers and sportsmen as his test subjects.
With Raymann’s long history with sleep research and wearable technology, it’s not surprising that Apple is interested in the scientist. Though there are already many sleep trackers out there, Raymann may deliver something we haven’t yet to seen, such as non-pharmacological sleep behavior modification which will greatly benefit those who are having a hard time falling asleep.
In other iWatch rumors, Apple is said to be looking into ways to make the battery last far longer than similar devices of it size, and it also wants to provide various options for charging such as wireless, solar, and even shake to charge.
Apple has been fortifying its iWatch team since last year. In September, Apple hired Ben Shaffer, Nike’s top FuelBand designer.
Based on the current rumors regarding the iWatch, we can assume that the device will be a sleep and activity tracker, and we can count on it to have a simple design that may resemble the FuelBand, though Apple will undoubtedly try to make theirs look even better. There’s also a good chance that it will be more than an activity tracker and will be a companion device for a bigger iPhone, which is also in the rumor mill.
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