Zeo

Backstory

Zeo (then Axon Labs) was founded in 2003. They produced a product called the Zeo Personal Sleep Coach (ZEO101). It was a combination headband and bedside alarm clock to track your sleep and web service to provide coaching towards the goal of better sleep. The alarm clock also came with a feature of being able to wake the sleeper when in light stages of sleep. Unfortunately the company proved unable to sustain while educating customers and moving into the capital hungry medical devices space.

Modern Alternatives

To this day, there is no product in the sleep tracking space that fills the void left after Zeo's departure. The closest I have been able to find is the Sleep Shepherd. Others often also suggest the Aurora by iWinks.

Keeping Your Zeo Alive

There have been attempts to restart support for Zeo:

There has also been an attempt to manufacture replacement sensor pads for the Zeo Headband:

But so far a revival of any kind has not been realised.

So how do you keep the Zeo going? Well, there are three facets to this:

  1. Replacement Pads for the Zeo Headband
  2. Replacement of the Lithium Ion battery in the Zeo Headband
  3. Analysis of the data from the Zeo

Replacement Pads for the Zeo Headband

For a while there was the option of this DIY approach: http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-Replacement-Zeo-Sleep-Monitor-Headband-Sensor/ However, the fabric (MedTex 130/180/P180 depending on who you ask) is now largely unavailable and cost prohibitive. The only vendor I could find for it provides a piece that would create over 500 sets of pads, and costs $219.91+S&H: http://www.shopvtechtextiles.com/Medtex-P180_p_29.html

Another alternative is to create an adapter and use disposable ECG/EKG pads, which can be obtained from the likes of eBay for relatively cheap. The adapter is required because the snaps on the back of the Zeo Headband to connect the pads are not in the location where the pads need to be positioned on the user's head. Differnt approach to ZEO headband on the Quantified Self forum

Replacement Battery for the Zeo Headband

The Zeo Headband contains a Lithium Ion Polymer battery. Unlike the Pads, the battery is not designed to be user-servicable. However, with the availably of LiPo batteries in all sizes and shapes, it is highly likely a replacement could be sourced for a relatively low price.

Analysis of the Data from the Zeo

Thankfully, on their way out Zeo released the information necessary to allow users to access unencrypted versions of the data collected by the Zeo headband. This has lead to a few community based tools to analyze and display the data.