Nighty Night Schlafhilfe-Armband by Meizhu Li

Nighty Night Schlafhilfe-Armband by Meizhu Li is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2020 A' Design Award in Eisen in Design tragbarer Technologie Competition Category.

EisenTragbare Technologie· 2020

Nighty Night Schlafhilfe-Armband

by Meizhu Li

A' Design Award in Eisen Winner in Tragbare Technologie Category

28,757

Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #87450

View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Nighty Night Schlafhilfe-Armband

Nighty Night ist ein tragbares Armband, das die Schlafqualität verbessern soll. Nighty Night verbindet die traditionelle chinesische Akupressur mit moderner Technologie und stimuliert mithilfe eines niederfrequenten Impulsstroms Akupunkturpunkte am Handgelenk. Der Strom fließt zwischen zwei Elektrodenpads und erzeugt eine gleichmäßige Stimulation im gesamten Bereich zwischen ihnen, sodass der exakte Akupunkturpunkt nicht lokalisiert werden muss. Der Nutzer legt das Band vor dem Schlafengehen an und stellt Intensität sowie Dauer ein. Das Band wird in einer Box aufbewahrt, die das Gerät auflädt; das Elektronikmodul kann zur Reinigung entnommen werden.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award in Eisen

Nighty Night Schlafhilfe-Armband ist Gewinner des A' Design Award in Eisen, einer prestigeträchtigen Anerkennung für gute Designs, die die beruflichen und industriellen Anforderungen erfüllen, die an gut gestaltete Schöpfungen gestellt werden. Eisen-Gewinner zeigen großes Können, hohe Spezialisierung, fachkundiges Verständnis und die kreative Kapazität ihrer Schöpfer. Von Nighty Night Schlafhilfe-Armband wird erwartet, dass es eine hochgeschätzte, bewunderte und geliebte Schöpfung ist, die praktisch und innovativ ist. Dieses mit dem A' Design Award in Eisen prämierte Design integriert bewährte Branchenverfahren und weist kompetente technische Merkmale in Verbindung mit Know-how und Talent auf. Nighty Night Schlafhilfe-Armband wird für seine Gründlichkeit geschätzt und ist darauf ausgelegt, Verbesserungen der Lebensqualität zu liefern, die dazu beitragen, die Welt zu einem besseren Ort zu machen.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: Nighty Night is a wearable wristband that combines traditional Chinese acupressure with modern technology by using a low-frequency current to stimulate certain acupoints that can improve sleep quality. It does not require the user’s active involvement but easily solves the problem of insomnia.
Dimensions & Packaging: wristband 240mm*35mm*5mm
Box 255mm*50mm*40mm
Tags: wearable, sleep, technology, traditional Chinese medicine
Production Technology: The technology I am investigating is low-frequency pulse current. The pulse is delivered through electrode pads that are taped to the patient’s skin.
Since people's body size are different, so there is also slightly different for the location of the same acupoint. The technology can easily resolve the problem by creating even stimulation between the area of two electrode pads.
Design Challenge: The technology I am investigating is low-frequency pulse current, which has a parallel in a machine used for cancer patients. The principle is to relieve pain by creating mild electrical pulses to improve local circulation and relax muscles. The existing product applies this technology to people who experience joint or muscle pain for a variety of reasons. The pulse is delivered through electrode pads (positive and negative) that are taped to the patient’s skin. The technology creates even stimulation in the current between the two poles. I am investigating whether this technology can stimulate the particular acupoints that help people sleep without requiring the user to pinpoint the precise location of those acupoints.
In support of my theory that this technology can be used to stimulate acupoints and improve sleep, I found a thesis written by a graduate student at the University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The student compared the effects of acupuncture (stimulated acupoints by needle) and pulse current instruments on sleep quality for people with depressive insomnia. The result showed that both methods improved sleep quality, and there was no significant difference in the degree of improvement between the two groups. In that way, I can use this technology into my design.
Research: In traditional Chinese medicine, insomnia can be resolved by using acupressure. The pressure is applied to a certain acupoint that can improve sleep quality.
There are about 19 acupoints on our body that can improve sleep quality, and the most effective sleep acupoints are located at the wrist and calf.
Since the wrist acupoints are more concentrated and accessible than those on the calf, I decided to design a wristband that can stimulate them for improved sleep.
Inspiration: According to the National Alliance On Mental Illness, over one-third of Americans report difficulty sleeping.
There are many existing sleep aids, such as music and incense, but they often work for some people and not for others. Some sleeping aids need active efforts on the part of the user, but not all people can stick to the program.
So I wanted to find a scientific method that does not require the user’s active involvement but easily solves the problem of insomnia.
Project Duration: Started in September 2018 and finished in May 2019.
Operation Flow: The user basically uses it before they go to bed. The user opens the housing of the wristband when he/she is ready to sleep, puts on the band, and sets the intensity of the electric stimulation and duration, before switching on the device. The next morning the user removes the wrist strap and puts it back into the box, where it will be automatically charged.
The electronic part can be easily taken out from the wristband and clean or change the band.