The company behind this $599 robot shaped like a bean claims it solves sleep problems if you cuddle with it — here’s how it works

• The Somnox Sleep Robot claims to be the solution to sleep-related problems, without medication.
• The $600 robot plays meditative music and slows a person’s breathing to help them fall asleep.
• The robot is currently out of stock in Canada and the US.
• Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.

It sounds too good to be true: a robot with calming capabilities helps you fall asleep and stay asleep all night, no medication necessary.

Of course, there’s a catch: it costs $599. Norwegian company Somnox says its on a mission to “Bring the world better sleep, naturally.”

The company was started in 2017, born out of the engineer founder Julian Jagtenberg’s desire to help his mother sleep. Jagtenberg says that he talked to sleep scientists and consulted studies. The first prototype was too big and too loud, but eventually he arrived at the current version of the sleep robot, inspired by meditation, mindfulness, and the way that sleeping babies pick up on their parents’ breathing.

Here’s how it works.

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The sleep robot works in a few different ways to help the user fall asleep.

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Shaped like a kidney bean, it weighs only five pounds and is a little over a foot long.

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It comes with the robot itself, a washable cover, SD card, charger, and access to the Somnox app.

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The robot works by guiding breathing.

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The sleeping robot produces a rhythm, which a person will naturally breathe along with if they hold the Somnox.

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The robot also detects the user's breathing and adapts to it.

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Next, it works by playing soothing sounds, like white noise or nature sounds.

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The sounds can have a relaxing effect, and work along with breathing to help a person relax.

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The robot is also customizable to personal preferences.

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It connects to the app through Bluetooth and is compatible with Androids and iPhones.

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In the app, determine basic settings for how the robot will work.

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Set a specific breathing rate, or choose to have the robot automatically adapt.

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Users can also choose what kind of soothing sounds they'd like, and for how long.

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The Somnox sleep robot ships worldwide...

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Though it's currently out of stock in Canada and the US.

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For anyone who can get their hands on it, Somnox gives a free 30-day trial to see if it fits your needs.

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It has an average review of four stars on Trust Pilot.

Trust Pilot

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Most reviewers describe positive experiences with the robot, although some felt that it wasn't ready to hit the market yet.

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According to Somnox's trials, people using the sleep robot rated their sleep quality as better and needed less time to fall asleep.

Source: Somnox

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Somnox says that results were the same for people who shared a bed with a partner and that the partners even reported better sleep because no one was tossing and turning next to them.