NextSense has reengineered the lullaby.
What’s happening: The wearable maker closed a $16M Series A to launch wireless, brain-sensing earbuds that track and stimulate sleep.
Unplugged. Born in Google’s Moonshot Factory incubator, NextSense’s Smartbuds combine EEG brainwave monitoring with adaptive “pink noise” soundscapes, generating frequencies shown to boost deep sleep up to 50%.
Shipping in Q4, the company is also prepping features for relaxation and focus alongside university and pharma research partnerships.
Dulcet tones. As EEG sensors shrink, the ear has become an access point to the brain and a delivery system for targeted therapies.
Somnee’s headband uses built-in bone conduction speakers to deliver clinical soundscapes designed by Dr. Matthew Walker. Beyond bedtime, Muse teamed with music-based neurofeedback platform alphabeats for cognitive fitness, and Atlas launched a behind-the-ear device that trains acuity.
Decoding nervous system state with a PPG sensor, earbuds from South Korea’s dbbeats pipe in brainwave-stabilizing binaural audio.
Punchline: As the era of Invisible Diagnostics unfolds, wearables like NextSense aim to passively track while they treat.
