OK, this might be the most badass baby monitor ever built. At CES, Los Angeles-based smart home startup Miku unveiled its signature Miku Baby Monitor, a technological marvel that uses artificial intelligence (A.I.) and machine-learning technology to create a highly detailed health portrait of their new kid.
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It’s the brainchild of co-founder and CEO Eric White, who decided to build a more technically advanced and flexible baby monitor as he waited for his first child to born. Using his personal experience building things like, oh, counter-remote controlled improvised explosive devices (Counter-RCIED) and dabbling in things like electronic warfare, White created a device that combines cutting-edge video and audio technologies with proprietary software backed by the National Science Foundation.
“The Miku Baby Monitor is only the beginning for us,” said White in a release. “As a new father, I know there is a huge need for this level of technology and sophistication in a product people entrust to help care for their loved ones. The applications for Miku’s technology are limitless.”
It looks like he’s on the right track, since Miku’s innovative new gizmo won both the Baby Sleep category and the Audience Favorite at the Annual Best of BabyTech Awards at CES 2019 last week.
It really is a pretty marvelous device. First, the Miku Baby Monitor can keep an eye on breathing, motion, sounds, and sleeping patterns as well as other factors like temperature and humidity levels to make sure the baby’s room is comfortable. A fistful of quad-core processors from the likes of Qualcomm provide the engine for the device, while an embedded, tamper-resistant crypto chip keeps the data secure.
Next, we have the app (there’s always an app). Available on iOS and Android, the MikuMind app enables parents to view sleep reports, read health tips by pediatric experts, and scroll through an archive of photos and videos shot by the company’s high-definition 1080p camera that also includes a high-quality night vision mode.
Like more traditional baby monitors Miku’s device also enables two-way talk through the monitor’s dual Ole Wolff speakers as well as sleep sounds and playlists that can be activated through the MikuMind app. In the future, the company anticipates using the data collected by the Miku Baby Monitor to make health recommendations like check-up reminders or push alerts when a baby’s vitals, such as heart rate or breathing, change.
“We’ve invented a technology that cares as much about your baby as you do,” said Colt Seman, CMO and co-founder of Miku. “We’re honored to be a winner in the Best of BabyTech Awards and hope to set a new standard for the industry that raises expectations for something as core to care as a baby monitor.”
No word on what cloud service or app subscription rates will add up to for new parents — Miku says the baby monitor comes with a 30-day MikuMind subscription and the company is currently running a special that includes a year of MikuMind (valued at $120) and free shipping. For new parents who want the best for their new baby, the Miku is available for order now at a cost of $399.
