Last week, in a converted garage in Somerville, Massachusetts, a group of about 30 eager experimentalists and curious insomniacs gathered to share the results of their latest investigations. Several members of the group had spent the month of March using a consumer device known as the Zeo to track their sleep patterns and observe how the patterns change with different factors, including weather, color of ambient light, and location. While the individual results aren't going to change our notions of sleep, the overall trend of self-experimentation just might.
The Boston-based group is part of a nationwide movement known as Quantified Self, a collection of people who employ the growing numbers of sensors, trackers, and data analysis tools to monitor intimate details of their lives. While more-traditional scientists may argue about the objective value of an experiment with an N of 1, quantified selfers, as they call themselves, say that is beside the point. They are investigating how various physical variables affect the quality of their lives in the most rigorous way possible.
To read the full, original article click on this link: Quantifying Your Sleep - Technology Review
Author: Emily Singer
