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Sleepiz sleep analysis: so easy to use, so complex in the background

5.10.2023

Translation: machine translated

The sleep analysis with Sleepiz will stay with me for a long time. Not only because of the results, but also because of the impressively simple handling and measurement method. In the interview with the ETH spin-off, you can find out all the more complex processes behind it and what's next.

I have never knowingly slept on a Bico mattress or laid my head on a Bico pillow. As an advertising-impaired child of the 1980s, I still know what the traditional Swiss company stands for: "Für ä tüüfä gsundä Schlaaf." I was convinced for a long time that my sleep would fulfil these criteria. Until I had a sleep analysis with Sleepiz because of my snoring.

Background information
Sleep apnoea: the elephant in the (bed)room has a name
by Patrick Vogt

As much as the probable diagnosis of sleep apnoea doesn't get me excited, the experience with Sleepiz does. I was surprised that sleep analysis is so simple, uncomplicated and, above all, possible at home. In my mind, this always required at least an overnight stay in a sleep laboratory, with a head cover and what felt like a thousand cables all over my body. I therefore wanted to find out more and asked Sleepiz to find out more about their method.

Sleepiz AG was founded in 2018 as a spin-off from ETH Zurich. The company develops medical devices for the contactless medical measurement of sleep- and breathing-related illnesses. Sleepiz aims to improve people's lives by driving the future of healthcare. The cost of a sleep analysis with Sleepiz varies between 129 and 189 francs, depending on the package. There is always a discount code directly on the website.

Jonas Krauss has been working for the ETH Zurich spin-off since 2018.
Source: Sleepiz

I've had a sleep analysis with Sleepiz and I'm thrilled. Not so much with the results, but with everything else. If I look at the feedback from customers online, I'm far from alone. What do you think makes the product so popular?Jonas Krauss: Firstly, of course, we are delighted with the great customer feedback. It shows that we can fulfil our vision: To improve people's health. From our point of view, we are characterised above all by the combination of our product and our service. With these two elements, we make it easier for people to enter the topic of sleep and sleep apnoea.

Many people are still reluctant to take the first steps. On the one hand, because of the time involved. In addition, many are put off by the thought of a complicated examination and a night in an external environment. We solve these problems. With us, everything from ordering to analysing works simply and conveniently at home. This reduces the hurdle of having to deal with your own sleep professionally. As we also give our customers the opportunity to discuss the results over the phone afterwards, you can do a lot for your health with little effort.

Not least, it is also the result of the great work of our fantastic team at Sleepiz. We all enjoy our work and helping people.

Measurements are only taken with a screening device and pulse oximeter.
Source: Sleepiz

What actually triggered the development of Sleepiz?
The initial idea came about when our founder and CEO Soumya Sunder Dash visited a sleep lab for the first time during his time at ETH and through a project with METAS (Swiss Federal Institute of Meteorology). At the time, this was completely unrelated to the topic of sleep apnoea. As a "wireless engineer", he was shocked by the measurement methods used there with up to 30 cables attached to the body. He was therefore looking for simpler and more convenient solutions to measure sleep.

Sleepiz is doing important groundwork for doctors.

Jonas Krauss, VP Business Sleepiz

Speaking of sleep labs: I initially thought that they probably wouldn't take too kindly to you because you're actually competing with them. But that doesn't seem to be the case. How come?
That's right, we also receive positive reactions from the medical profession. Many of our customers take the necessary next steps after an analysis with Sleepiz if the sleep apnoea risk needs to be investigated. In this way, we help doctors to look after the right patients, so to speak.

What I kept asking myself during the analysis: What actually happens in the Sleepiz device? How can it analyse my sleep so precisely?
The Sleepiz device uses radar technology and the physical Doppler effect. A similar principle is also known from ultrasound or modern cars. These often have a whole series of them installed in order to recognise the distance to the next vehicle. We have optimised this measurement for vital parameters by measuring with an accuracy of 0.2 millimetres and using machine learning to analyse this data. This recognises movement patterns such as breathing - so accurately that we can even measure the heartbeat.

Sleepiz wants to help get to the bottom of the widespread disease sleep apnoea.
Source: Sleepiz

Your analysis indicates that I have moderate sleep apnoea. An unpleasant surprise for me personally, but at the same time I'm far from alone. How widespread is sleep apnoea in the population?
Unfortunately, sleep apnoea is a widespread disease that is still too little known and diagnosed. It is estimated that up to one billion people worldwide suffer from sleep apnoea and only 20 per cent of them have been diagnosed.

How popular is Sleepiz and how often do you diagnose sleep apnoea?
Unfortunately, we cannot provide exact figures. What we can say: In Switzerland, we have already been able to help many thousands of people with their sleep measurement.

Far too many cases of sleep apnoea still go unrecognised.

Jonas Krauss, Sleepiz

Sleepiz is a success story. What's next? Are further innovations on the horizon?
Definitely. We want to help people improve their health. The number of unrecognised sleep apnoea cases is still far too high. That's why we don't stop at recognising sleep apnoea. Consequently, we looked at the question of how we can also enable people to take the necessary next medical steps and possible therapies digitally and from home.

The result was that we launched our own medical facility for patients with sleep apnoea last year - Aurora Telemed. There, people now have access to a dedicated team of doctors and nurses specialising in sleep medicine to help them enjoy truly healthy sleep again.

Jonas Krauss has been with Sleepiz since 2018, the year it was founded. As Vice President of Business, he is responsible for corporate development and the partner network. He is also responsible for the private customer offering, Sleepiz Screenings.

Cover photo: Sleepiz

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Patrick Vogt

Editor

Patrick.Vogt@digitecgalaxus.ch

I'm a full-blooded dad and husband, part-time nerd and chicken farmer, cat tamer and animal lover. I would like to know everything and yet I know nothing. I know even less, but I learn something new every day. What I am good at is dealing with words, spoken and written. And I get to prove that here.

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