This article was written in partnership with Cradlewise.
Cradlewise is a smart crib that uses AI to monitor and soothe babies and was created by a couple who saw the need for it after having their first child. It’s a connected, easy-to-use sleep support system with all the tools families need for a better night’s rest. It includes a smart bassinet that converts into a crib, auto-soothing bounce, Wi-Fi video monitor, in-app sleep insights, sound machine, and room temperature monitoring. The bouncing motion and minimalist approach to soothing were inspired by how parents naturally soothe their babies. The company researched baby sleep challenges by speaking with over 200 parents and a pediatric sleep specialist, and the crib was named one of Time’s 100 Best Inventions of 2020. It has been used for over a million hours of sleep.
Here, we speak to the founders to get the 411 on what makes this crib the smartest one on the market.
Why create a new crib?
After their first child Anushka was born, founders Radhika and Bharath Patil saw an opportunity to engineer a solution for the most significant problem new parents face: Sleep. Not that this stat will surprise any mamas, but new parents lose an average of three hours of sleep every night in their baby’s first year. But when the baby sleeps well, the whole fam sleeps well. Thus, Cradlewise.
“Most baby monitors will notify you after your baby wakes up. That’s too late,” says Radhika Patil. “When my husband and I had our first baby, we ran over and rocked her every time she twitched. Why isn’t there a crib that can monitor for signs of waking?”
So, how does this thing work?
“Cradlewise is the only crib that can soothe babies before they start crying because intervening even just one minute sooner makes all the difference in safeguarding baby sleep.”
Here’s how the Cradlewise AI works:
- Predictive phase: The built-in monitor arc uses 3D-image mapping technology to detect the baby’s early wake-up signs. The crib comes fitted with contactless sensors that we use to detect the baby’s breath rate and movements. It uses this information to determine which phase of awakening the baby is in the quiet, active, or cry phase.
- Quiet phase: In this phase, the baby is still awake and taking in the environment. In this phase, the cradle responds with low bouncing and soothing music so that the wakeup does not escalate to the “cry phase.” Getting the baby back to sleep while it’s still in this first, quiet waking phase is the secret to sleeping better.
- Active phase: In the active waking phase, the baby moves actively and is attentive to sounds and sights. At this stage, the cradle responds with a medium-level bouncing motion that gradually tapers off as the baby is soothed back to the quiet phase and finally sleeps.
- Cry phase: Once a baby has reached this phase, they move a lot, may cry loudly, and don’t respond as quickly to soothing sounds and motion. In this phase, the crib will respond with a higher bounce, tapering back down to a gentle bounce as the baby grows calmer or alerting parents if the crying phase continues.
- Processing: AI models act as interpreters to figure out what’s happening with the baby, building an understanding of their unique sleep patterns.
- Responsive: Because there is no one-size-fits-all length of time it takes to soothe a baby, the cradle provides a custom, intuitive, dynamically learned response based on the individual baby’s needs. If the baby doesn’t respond to the cradle’s soothing by falling back asleep, Cradlewise will stop bouncing and alert the parent.
- Adaptive: Sleep patterns change significantly from infancy through 24 months of age. Cradlewise adapts its soothing technique to match the baby’s developmental stage. Its personalized AI understands the sleep patterns of each baby and learns when its soothing functions are most effective. The crib’s algorithms are also regularly tuned based on data across babies to best detect wake-ups, constantly improving for more intelligent cry detection and parental alerts.
What sort of safety certifications does the Cradlewise Smart Crib have?
Cradlewise is U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission tested, JPMA Certified, FCC Certified, screened for approximately 900 chemicals, and GREENGUARD Gold Certified.
“We spent four years perfecting the safety mechanisms and certifications for Cradlewise,” the founders say.” We’ve left no stone unturned when it comes to your baby’s health and wellness. We’ve done extensive testing, and the crib meets all U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission standards for bassinets, non-full-size baby cribs/play yards, and crib mattresses.
How long can babe stay in this thing?
Cradlewise is the only smart bassinet and crib designed to grow with a baby from birth until the 24-month mark, with auto-soothing bounce available in both bassinet and crib mode.
Since the baby is on a flat surface moving up and down, there’s no need to fasten them to the bassinet, allowing parents to continue using Cradlewise long after their child transitions out of their swaddle.
Over time, the cradle learns and adapts to each child’s unique sleep patterns, forecasting sleep and wake-up times. And by bundling a smart bassinet, crib, Wi-Fi video monitor, sleep insights, and sound machine in one, Cradlewise offers expecting parents a connected, easy-to-use sleep support system with all the tools families need for a better night’s rest.
If only we could be as adaptive in our parenting style as Cradlewise…
