Japan has developed a winter sleep tech jacket designed for getting rest on the go in what might otherwise be considered uncomfortable places. It has multiple features to promote mobile snoozing capabilities.
A small group of people in Tokyo got a sneak peak at the nifty new coat on Feb 7. The ZZZN Apparel System will make its formal public debut at Expo 2025 Osaka, which runs between April and October. The Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry; the company NTT DX Partners; and the creative studio “Konel” were jointly responsible for its creation.
Unfortunately, Hokkaido residents and those in Northern Japan couldn’t get their hands on one in time for the record snowfall that recently hit the region.
This cutting-edge parka has a biometric data monitoring system that keeps tabs on sleep quality, heart rate and stress levels. This is made possible with the sophisticated SOXAI smart ring that’s included with the product and connects to a user’s smartphone.
It also comes equipped with headphones that play soothing music, light regulating technology and a temperature control system to keep the wearer warm. The audio is similar to popular binaural beats used for relaxation, cognitive enhancement and meditation.
“When you wake up, soothing music and dazzling blue lighting will smoothly switch your body on,” the tech creators described.
Red lighting comes into a user’s field of vision from the top of the head piece when they are trying to fall asleep. The design team believes it is an ideal colour for mimicking a sunset, thereby causing the person in the coat to doze off.
“眠りを持ち運べる服”『ZZZN SLEEP APPAREL SYSTEM』。最高に心地良く、15分が30分にも感じられる超リラックス体験でした！生体データから、最適な照明と入眠用音楽を選択してくれる。デザインも素敵。経産省×NTT DXパートナー×Konelらによるスリープテックプロジェクト。欲しい @hellokonel pic.twitter.com/7VSOzJXOLp
— 日テレR&Dラボ (@ntv_rd) February 11, 2025
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Coat was made to address Japan’s insufficient sleep problem
The nation’s citizens are known for having one of the shortest average sleep durations in the world at approximately six hours or less. Seven to nine is generally considered to be the ideal amount.
In fact, many consider Japan to be the most sleep deprived country on Earth.
A September survey from Tokyo’s sleep products supplier Koala Sleep Japan K.K. found that over 52 per cent of 1,000 respondents said they couldn’t get enough rest at night before work.
“Karoshi” or “death from overwork” is a widely recognized phenomenon in the country where many citizens are unable to get adequate rest because of the long hours they put in at their jobs.
One of the nation’s leading sleep experts, Dr Masashi Yanagisawa, said last year that Japan’s sleeplessness crisis posed a threat to society and that action was urgently needed to remedy the situation.
rowan@mugglehead.com
