Google's New Device Will Track Your Sleep, if You Let it
2021-03-21
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1A new product from Google may help people solve their sleep problems, but some privacy rights groups are concerned.
2Google showed off its newest Nest Hub home assistant device on Tuesday.
3In addition to recognizing your voice, showing pictures, videos, news and weather, it can also track your sleep.
4The basic model costs about $100 and the sleep-tracking technology will be available for free for the rest of 2021.
5The sleep tracker makes Google's product different from a similar home assistant from Amazon.
6If you put the Nest Hub beside your bed, it can follow how you sleep.
7That is because of a new computer chip called Soli, which can sense motion.
8Some people may like the new technology because they would not have to wear another device to bed.
9Some companies make products people can wear on their wrist to track their sleep.
10Google says the new Nest Hub will create reports each week that show how long and how well a person sleeps.
11It will also show if they snore, cough or wake up often.
12The company said it studied 15,000 people over the course of 110,000 nights to develop the technology.
13For people who want to know more about their sleep, the device sounds like a good idea.
14But, people who pay attention to privacy are worried what Google might do with the information it is gathering.
15Jeff Chester is one of those people.
16He is the director of the Center for Digital Democracy.
17"Google's goal is to monetize every cell of your body," he said.
18Google recently bought FitBit, a company that makes a health tracker people can wear on their wrist.
19Some technology experts think Google may find a way for the Nest Hub to work with the FitBit.
20Google says the sleep tracker has a lot of privacy protections.
21For example, it will only work if the user turns it on.
22The company said it will not use a person's sleep information to try to sell advertising.
23But Chester said he is not so sure that promise will be kept.
24I'm Dan Friedell.
1A new product from Google may help people solve their sleep problems, but some privacy rights groups are concerned. 2Google showed off its newest Nest Hub home assistant device on Tuesday. In addition to recognizing your voice, showing pictures, videos, news and weather, it can also track your sleep. 3The basic model costs about $100 and the sleep-tracking technology will be available for free for the rest of 2021. The sleep tracker makes Google's product different from a similar home assistant from Amazon. 4If you put the Nest Hub beside your bed, it can follow how you sleep. That is because of a new computer chip called Soli, which can sense motion. 5Some people may like the new technology because they would not have to wear another device to bed. Some companies make products people can wear on their wrist to track their sleep. 6Google says the new Nest Hub will create reports each week that show how long and how well a person sleeps. It will also show if they snore, cough or wake up often. The company said it studied 15,000 people over the course of 110,000 nights to develop the technology. 7For people who want to know more about their sleep, the device sounds like a good idea. But, people who pay attention to privacy are worried what Google might do with the information it is gathering. 8Jeff Chester is one of those people. He is the director of the Center for Digital Democracy. "Google's goal is to monetize every cell of your body," he said. 9Google recently bought FitBit, a company that makes a health tracker people can wear on their wrist. Some technology experts think Google may find a way for the Nest Hub to work with the FitBit. 10Google says the sleep tracker has a lot of privacy protections. For example, it will only work if the user turns it on. The company said it will not use a person's sleep information to try to sell advertising. 11But Chester said he is not so sure that promise will be kept. 12I'm Dan Friedell. 13Michael Liedtke wrote this story for the Associated Press. Dan Friedell adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor. 14Do you want to know more about your sleep? Would you let Google track you? We want to hear from you. Tell us in the Comments Section and visit our Facebook page. 15_______________________________________________________________ 16Words in This Story 17track -v. to watch or follow the progress of (someone or something) 18snore -v. to breathe noisily while sleeping 19wrist -n. the part of the body where the hands join the arms 20digital -adj. using or characterized by computer technology 21privacy -n. the state of being away from public attention: not public 22monetize -v. to change something so that money can be made from it