Nintendo officially gives up on non-wearable ‘Quality of Life’ sleep tracker

By Mike Epstein February 5, 2016

nintendo sleep sensor cancelled super mario — Image used with permission by copyright holder

After more than a year, Nintendo revealed it will not continue development of its fitness-minded sleep monitoring device. Announced by former company president Satoru Iwata in October, 2014, the wireless sleep sensor was part of a proposed “quality of life” initiative at Nintendo, intended to build on the success of the Wii Fit and Wii U Fit balance boards. Earlier this week, Nintendo CEO Tatsumi Kimishima told investors the company no longer considered the sensor a viable product in a meeting following the company’s recent quarterly earnings report.

sleepsensor — Image used with permission by copyright holder

“In regards to the Quality of Life [device], which was not mentioned in any of today’s questions, we do not have the conviction that the sleep-and-fatigue-themed [device] can enter the phase of actually becoming a product,” Kimishima said, according to a translation from Wired. On the other hand, we still believe there are things we can do in the general category of Quality of Life, and we will continue to study the possibility of expanding into this field.”

Based on an early diagram, users would have placed the sensor on a nightstand or nearby table, allowing it to monitor and analyze users’ breathing, heartbeat, body movement during sleep using “non-contact sensor measurement technology and sleep condition estimation technology.” The device would also provide feedback aimed at improving the user’s lifestyle. Though the device was not connected to any console, Iwata did suggest Nintendo would incorporate its understanding of game design to make the experience of using a fitness tracker into “something fun.”

“Fatigue and sleep are themes that are rather hard to visualize in more objective ways,” Iwata told investors during an October, 2014, presentation. “At Nintendo, we believe that if we could visualize them, there would be great potential for many people regardless of age, gender, language or culture.”

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Michael is a New York-based tech and culture reporter, and a graduate of Northwestwern University’s Medill School of…

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