Nintendo is Working on a Sleep-monitoring Device

Wii Sleep?

Nintendo is developing a device to monitor your sleeping behaviour.

Announced during the Nintendo corporate management policy briefing, the device is part of a new initiative the company is looking into. The Quality Of Life campaign (QOL) aims to improve lives by redefining entertainment in what Nintendo refers to as "enjoyable ways."

"Everyone needs to sleep, and all of us get tired," the briefing reads. "There is no argument that whether or not we have sound sleep or not significantly affects our health, and many of us recognize through our daily lives that accumulated fatigue makes it difficult to maintain good health."

The QOL sleep-monitoring sensor is painted as something which sits on a bedside table. The inside of the device is a non-contact radio frequency sensor capable of measuring movement, breathing, and heartbeat without physically needing to attach itself to the body during sleep.

During sleep, the sensor gathers data then transmits it to QOL cloud servers, which is then analysed to produce a virtual sleep and fatigue report. Should the results come back that the user isn't getting the required amount of sleep, Nintendo will offer ways to improve by encouraging the consumer to take certain actions, such as exercising or changing their diet.

Nintendo notes that it's possible to use dedicated video game systems to improve QOL, and that Nintendo is willing to expand the definition of platform "without being bound by traditional thinking."

In other Nintendo news, the company posted its financial results for the second quarter of the financial year, which states that Wii U sales are up, but 3DS sales are down.