NextSense raises $16 million to launch EEG earbuds for sleep
The Google X spin-out's Smartbuds track sleep with in-ear EEG and play sounds timed to deepen slow-wave sleep.
NextSense, a neurotech company spun out of Alphabet’s X, has raised a $16 million Series A led by Ascension Ventures, with neuroscientist David Eagleman among individual investors. The money supports the launch of its Smartbuds, wireless earbuds with built-in EEG sensors. They track sleep and play audio timed to brain activity to enhance deep (slow-wave) sleep, with modes for relaxation and focus.
EEG in everyday earbuds is one of the most likely paths for brain sensing to reach mainstream consumers, and it raises the neural data privacy questions regulators are now addressing.
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