Those of you who have a partner who snores will know all too well how hard it is to try and sleep with the noise. Instead of spending a quiet night on the couch, however, a new gadget promises to help alleviate the issue.
The device is called the Silent Partner, and instead of trying to prevent snoring, it focuses on the thing that keeps others awake - the noise.
The smartpatch device uses a similar technology to that used by noise-cancelling headphones. It listens to the sounds in the room, then generates the opposite sound. When the two sound waves are played at the same time, they cancel each other out and the snoring is more or less silenced. According to the makers of the device, it is effective from as close as eight inches away, although distance will make it work even better.
The device basically hangs over the user's nose and sticks to their cheeks through hypoallergenic adhesive patches, which are good for a month and can be replaced. The device runs off a rechargeable hearing aid battery which powers a small microphone and speaker. Users can plug the device into an outlet using a microUSB wire and a standard mobile phone charger, and the device should be ready in about 3 hours.
Of course, there is some question about how effective the active noise cancellation device can be, but according to the creator, Netanel Eyal, the average snore is 70 decibels, and the speakers can handle more than that. If, however, the snorer is extremely loud, the effects will be reduced.
Of course, it's not just partners that could benefit from the device. Snorers can even wake themselves with their own snoring, so cutting some of that volume could help them get more sleep.
The device itself will cost $99 when it goes on sale, which is expected in November, and is available from the Indiegogo campaign. Silent Partner's original campaign has been fully funded, but it is still accepting money via the crowdfunding site's InDemand mode.
