Sensor enabled ANC headphones offer personalised recommendations

Kokoon sleep aiding headphones offer a comfortable, tech-rich solution, with guided techniques developed by sleep experts. The headphones use the same technology currently being used in sleep labs to sense brainwaves, combined with three layers of noise cancelling, including white noise, and an app that tracks sleep cycles. The Kokoon Relax headphone is now shipping internationally from Kokoon.io for £314.99/$349.99, available in Black and Grey.

Studies by Economic and Social Research at Southampton University in 2020 showed that the number of people in the UK suffering with sleep loss rose from one in six to one in four, as a result of loneliness, fear and the disruption to working and social lives that began last March. The Sleep Council, The Sleep Charity, and Sleepstation also conducted a study in which 75% of 2,700 survey participants said that anxiety was affecting their sleep due to the restrictions in April 2020. As lack of sleep is known to have a detrimental impact on both mental and physical health, sleep aids can have a hugely positive impact on a consumer’s wellbeing.

Kokoon was founded with the mission to become the non-pharmaceutical, digital ‘go to’ for helping people relax and sleep easier. Kokoon’s founder Tim Antos struggled with insomnia himself. After attending many sessions at a sleep clinic he wanted a more convenient, cheaper way of getting access to the insights and techniques he was introduced to. “I wanted to make all this knowledge, all these great tools I learnt in the sleep clinic more accessible to the everyday consumer to use on their own terms.”

The Kokoon app features techniques, soundscapes and relaxing music developed with sleep professionals to optimise the chances of falling asleep. Many of these techniques feature in a form of talking therapy known as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT. CBT is an evidence-based therapy generally regarded as the gold standard treatment for insomnia with a proven success rate.

Kokoon uses these techniques to help users by delivering a customised content experience developed for the individual using the sensor data gathered from their body and environment. For example, as a wearer falls asleep in a headphone, audio changes in response, fading out the content and introducing white noise to mask out disturbances. The system also tracks what’s working for a user then personalising content for greater effect.

Kokoon’s first product, the Relax Headphone, features world first innovations in sensing and comfort. The Flexmould Comfort patented design helps Kokoon headphones mould to the shape of the users head to be comfortable wherever they are worn and thanks to the high quality natural fibre fabric, air flows easily through the ear cups to keep the wearers cool and comfortable. The ear cushions can also be detached and washed to be kept fresh and clean. Kokoon’s Sleepguard technology quietens as the wearer falls asleep whilst the EEG sensors measure the wearer’s brainwaves, motion, heart rate and environment tracking to learn what is helping them rest and relax.

Also useable as regular Bluetooth 4.0 headphones, the Kokoon Relax features premium acoustics from a 40mm electro dynamic driver and active noise cancelling making them ideal for listening to music or watching movies whilst travelling or simply relaxing. At just 350g/12.03oz they make the perfect travel companion with folding earcups and an included carry case.