Earlier this week, we learned that Google is preparing a new smart home device for a possible launch this year. FCC documents have shown that it has a screen, uses a 14 V power supply and comes equipped with the same Soli motion detection technology used by Pixel 4 and Nest Thermostat. Now, a new report states that the sensor can be used to fuel a surprising new inclusion: sleep tracking.
Many people already place a smart display or alarm clock on their nightstands and, thanks to the Soli sensor built into the next Nest smart display, Google would be able to track your movements at night to generate useful data. It also seems likely to be used for gesture controls, such as playing and pausing music, as well as on Pixel 4. Nest Hub Max currently supports hand gestures, but detects them using an optical camera.
Soli is very useful for performing common tasks in Pixel 4 – when it works.
Tracking sleep on a smart display can be a little surprising, but Google has been working on ways to implement its Soli radar in more consumer-oriented products since it first showed the chip in 2015. We know it can be used for other things to like bad identify hand gestures and detect movement, so it can also be used to track how much you play and spin at night.
It is not exactly obvious how the new Nest smart display will compare with the existing Nest Hub and Nest Hub Max units in terms of size or cost, but it is clear that Google intends to launch the new product later this year. It has already passed the FCC, so it may appear in the first half of 2021.
Google is probably betting on a Soli chip being more acceptable in sensitive places than a real camera, but it remains to be seen how privacy-conscious consumers will feel about having a radar sensor monitoring their room at night.
