Google's new Nest Hub: Here's how Motion Sense sleep tracking without a camera works

Like the two generations before it, Google's new Nest Hub connected display ($100), combines home control via the Google Assistant with one of the best-looking displays on the market today, all without the hassle security and privacy of a front camera. However, unlike its predecessors, the new Nest Hub can respond to physical gestures such as hand movements, just like its big brother the Nest Hub Max which has a camera. But there is even better.

The Nest Hub 2021 can track the sleep cycle, detecting motion and sound, then analyzing and collating that data into a summary delivered each morning. All this is done without a camera, thanks to the Soli radar chip that Google has been developing for several years.

The tech debuted with the Pixel 4 in 2019, but it had a rather mixed reception. Here's everything you need to know about Soli and what to expect if you plan to buy an updated Nest Hub when it releases on March 30.

What is sleep tracking and why is it so important?

Despite the popularity of smartwatches such as the Apple Watch and Fitbit fitness trackers, sleep tracking hasn't really caught on yet. This can be partly explained by the fact that even the most energy-efficient equipment needs to be recharged at some point, and the best time to do so is often at night when not in use. That said, few behaviors have such a profound and far-reaching effect on everything from our energy levels to our moods as the quality of our sleep.

To track activity overnight, the new Nest Hub uses the Soli chip, renamed Motion Sense, to detect nearby motion and breathing. Other sensors detect sounds, such as coughing and snoring, as well as ambient factors, such as light and room temperature.

Google claims to have benchmarked Motion Sense against clinical-grade sleep trackers and claims it is at least as good, if not better, than other sleep tracking methods.

How does Motion Sense work on the new Nest Hub?

The Soli chip is actually a tiny, low-energy radar that senses the room's electromagnetic field. As different objects move through this field, they change the signals picked up by the radar. The chip then processes these disturbances to figure out what's going on: whether someone stood up, turned around, or wiggled their little toe.

What information can be tracked with the new Nest Hub?

According to Google, Motion Sense tracks what it considers the three most important metrics of sleep: duration, schedule consistency, and restorativeness of sleep. The system also detects coughing and snoring episodes, as well as breathing rate. All of this information can be accessed either directly on the Nest Hub or through the Google Fit app on Android and iOS, which also provides personalized recommendations based on results to improve sleep quality.

Privacy-conscious Google

The lack of a camera makes it easier to set up a Nest Hub in a bedroom or bathroom without fearing for privacy. And Google clarifies that cough and snore data is processed locally by the device and not exported. "Data about your sleep is not used for ad personalization purposes, and you can view and delete it whenever you want," said the American giant.

What gestures can you use with the new Nest Hub?

The new Nest Hub detects quick gestures, similar to what you could do with the Pixel 4: wave your hand in front of the screen to silence an alarm, swipe right to go forward or swipe left to go back while audio playback, start or pause song or video playback, snooze an alarm or stop a timer, etc.

Sleep tracking will be a paid service

Eventually, the sleep tracking function will be a service billed by Google. But immediately and until the end of the year, it will be accessible free of charge. “Test the sleep tracking feature for free until next year. We continue to work on this new technology to deliver other innovations, and we may have the pleasure of integrating it into the user experience of Fitbit and Fitbit Premium in the future.

CNET.com article adapted by CNETFrance

Image: Google