How this high tech crib is trying to help new parents get some much needed sleep

It’s no secret that new parents are often perpetually exhausted — who wouldn’t be after having their sleep schedule turned completely upside down? Many new parents wake up multiple times each night to soothe their crying infant, and they are then forced to head to work after getting only a precious few hours of sleep.

But thanks to the wonders of modern technology, a new crib can help parents get some much-needed shut-eye by allowing their infants to sleep more soundly through the night.

What exactly is so special about this crib? Pediatrician Dr. Harvey Karp, MIT engineers, and designer Yves Behar joined forces to create the safest sleeper yet — Snoo. The crib’s high tech features include sounds that mimic the womb, as well as a swaddle blanket that will prevent babies from rolling into dangerous positions in their sleep.

When the baby begins crying, one of Snoo’s three built-in microphones will play a specific level of white noise that’s designed to match the pitch of of the baby’s wails. It will also begin rocking to soothe the child back to sleep.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxTSH93ttO8?feature=oembed

Of course, there are times when a baby genuinely needs his or her parent. Snoo can’t feed a child or change its diaper, but it does alert parents of the length and extent of their child’s distress.

Although the crib allows parents to stay in bed during brief periods of crying, they'll know that it's time for a feeding or a diaper change if the wails persist.

Snoo is brand new and, although its design is based on solid science and engineering, the real test will be parents’ feedback. If it is effective, the hefty price tag of $1,160 may not be so bad — but new parents may want to debrief with their peers before making the investment.