#31 - Measuring sleep remotely - Soumya Dash - Sleepiz

Sleep is the resting state that nature has chosen for us by default. Long overlooked or even neglected, it is one of the keys to good health, alongside nutrition, physical exercise, and mental and emotional health. Moreover, it is an excellent indicator of our overall health: when our sleep is disturbed, it usually means at least one of these four components is affected. It thus seems essential to be able to measure the quality of our sleep while minimizing the interaction or invasiveness of the measurement method with our body. And that is precisely the promise of Soumya Dash and his company Sleepiz! Based on radar technology, this Swiss startup has developed a compact device to place on a bedside table, capable of remotely clinically measuring sleep and detecting potential disorders such as sleep apnea or insomnia. No electroencephalogram to wear on the head, no pulse oximeter on the finger, nor any wearable around the wrist: everything is measured from the bedside table and without any direct interaction with the subject measured. In this surprising episode, we dive into the fascinating world of sleep, a realm with many secrets still to be uncovered! Soumya shares with us insights into the technology his team has developed, the difference between consumer-grade and medical-grade sleep monitors, and a glimpse into the future of healthcare in this field! Timeline: 00:02:21 - How Soumya came across sleep monitoring and why it matters 00:12:45 - How the Sleepiz device monitors sleep 00:18:20 - Relevant use cases and target indications of sleep disorders 00:22:35 - Differences between consumer-grade vs. medical-grade sleep monitors 00:25:35 - B2C and B2B business models 00:37:43 - Past milestones and challenges ahead What we also talked about with Soumya: ETH Zürich ISO 13485 norm Class IIa medical device 510(k) FDA clearance Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Oura Ring WHOOP IDUN Technologies SmartCardia As mentioned by Soumya during the episode, you can learn more about sleep and the current state of research in the book Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams by Matthew Walker. You will find more information about Sleepiz on their website and you can follow their activities on LinkedIn. If you want to get in touch with Soumya, you can do so via LinkedIn. If you want to give me feedback on the episode or suggest potential guests, contact me over LinkedIn or via email! And if you liked the episode, please share it, subscribe to the podcast, and leave a 5-star review on streaming platforms! 🙏 There’s now a bi-monthly newsletter around the podcast where you will be informed of the latest episodes and kept posted on the latest medical tech progress, subscribe here! Lastly, don’t forget to follow our activities on LinkedIn and our website!