Best buds?
A new brand of smart earbuds under $200 promises to enhance the quality of your slumber by blocking out unwanted noise, analyzing your brain activity and playing sounds suited to your sleep stage.
The first batch of For Me Buds is set to ship in March, nearly five years after a group of former engineers for the electronics company LG began brainstorming ideas for a portable gadget that can boost ZZZ’s.
“Our earbuds combine real-time measurement and customized sound therapy in a single device,” CEO and founder Seungpyo Noh told The Post.
For Me Buds are equipped with high-tech sensors that measure heart rate and motion. They quickly provide specialized calming sounds based on the user’s real-time condition.
A slightly different frequency is played to each ear. The brain perceives a third tone that is the difference between the two frequencies, potentially causing brainwaves to synchronize to that beat frequency.
The effects of the phenomenon, known as binaural beats, are still being studied. Preliminary research suggests it can help you fall asleep faster and sleep more deeply.
Users don’t pick the beats — an algorithm in the accompanying app chooses from over 100 options.
“Additionally, our app provides an AI-generated sleep report, powered by Chat-GPT, which analyzes sleep and heart rate trends over at least two weeks and offers personalized guidance to improve sleep quality,” Noh said.
For Me Buds are invisible earbuds, meaning they sit entirely within the ear canal without any protruding parts like a stem or over-ear hook. Users select from six customizable medical-grade silicone ear tips.
One audio product reviewer expressed skepticism that they would stay put in people who sleep on their side, describing them as “a little bulky” and noting they “protrude a bit.”
Noh promises they will stay secure. He said the buds are classified as “a low-risk wellness device” — anyone can use them.
Earbuds for sleeping are not new. Researchers have long warned of the health risks, including the potential for hearing damage, the possibility of becoming dependent on them to sleep and the chance of dozing through an emergency.
For Me Buds beats are supposed to turn off once you fall asleep and restart if you wake up in the middle of the night.
The Cleveland Clinic advises that earbuds can trap moisture in the ear canal, which can lead to bacterial infections. Noh said For Me Buds are safe for the skin, even for long periods, and vents in the buds keep air circulating in the ears.
Dr. Thomas Kilkenny, director of the Institute of Sleep Medicine at Northwell Staten Island University Hospital, noted there’s an ongoing debate about the effect of wireless technologies on health.
“While no scientific study has so far established a firm link between Bluetooth waves and brain tumors, the theory that a relationship exists has not been completely rejected,” Kilkenny told The Post.
For Me Buds, which are supposed to last up to 10 hours before needing a charge, must be within the Bluetooth range of your phone to connect to the app.
Users indicate in the app if they want a long, deep sleep or a quick power nap that requires an alarm.
Separate from the sleep mode is a “refresh mode” that measures brain frequency to provide stress-relieving audio to meditate or focus.
For Me Buds can also be used as traditional earbuds that block out noise up to 40 decibels, roughly equivalent to the humming of a refrigerator.
The product is only available via the crowdfunding platform Indiegogo. Over $540,000 has been collected from more than 5,200 backers between two campaigns. A current deal on Indiegogo cuts the $199 sticker price to $159.
Noh said the plan is to expand beyond Indiegogo “in the future.”
“After launch, we will continuously upgrade the app service to enhance personalized sleep care,” Noh added. “Additionally, for the next version of the device, we aim to incorporate additional sensors to further improve the user experience.”
