A Solution for Sleep Disorders: DQBD and GEMTEC’s Somnosync Sleep Mask Featuring H350™ 3D Printed Parts We chose the H350 3D printer to print the snap-fit pieces based on SAF™ technology’s accuracy and repeatability. Sebastian Hess Case Study

The universal thing we all do, for eight hours a night if we’re lucky, is sleep. Unfortunately, sleep doesn’t come easy to some people, and they may struggle with falling asleep, staying asleep, or from REM sleep behavior disorders. The Challenge To help identify these issues and treat the source of the problem, sleep is typically analyzed in a sleep laboratory using polysomnography. This involves extensive and complicated cabling as well as adhesive electrodes which are connected to the patient’s skin. The electrodes may cause skinirritation and the quality of sleep can be negatively affected...

Science Behind the Somnosync The Somnosync sleep mask offers contactless detection which identifies REM phases in real-time. This enables the mask to be utilized in narcolepsy and sleep disorder therapy. The mask features highly sensitive sensors which register electrical fields generated by rapid eye movement, or REM. Once patients are in the beginning of this stage, visual or auditory signals are used to gently wake the user. This provides access to lucid dreaming which may help change the course of nightmares and allow the sleeping person to be more in control. The sensor technology works...

The Somnosync’s Design The main design challenge was to create wearable housing, which is non-invasive, minimalistic, and comfortable enough for sleep. The Somnosync includes a slim design which hugs the eye area and remains in place throughout sleep phases, guaranteeing accurate results. DQBD focused on five strategic points on the face (without significant anatomical differences) to ensure comfort: the nose hump, pads above the two eyebrows, and pads at the two temple areas. The adaptive nose pad on the nose’s hump is cushioned and can be personalized and replaced by using additive manufacturing...

5 Additively Manufactured Parts with the H350 The housing components include snap-fit receptacles for the PCB, battery, and sensors. Based on the part’s complexity, this would require an extremely high investment for one or more injection molds to accomplish the optimized design that SAF delivers in a single part. Additionally, printing according to the specific anatomy of the user’s face is also a determining factor. This can be completed with additive manufacturing at a lower cost point than injection molding. “We chose the H350 3D printer to print the snap-fit pieces based on SAF technology’s...

Testing the Somnosync To validate the Somnosync, individual tests have been completed. To further authenticate the sleep mask, a larger case study will be conducted in a sleep-laboratory that tests how the Somnosync analyzes REM sleep behavior disorders. Case Study The Somnosync is changing the way sleep can be diagnosed and treated, from the comfort of the patient’s own bed. USA - Headquarters 7665 Commerce Way Eden Prairie, MN 55344, USA +1 952 937 3000 EMEA Airport Boulevard B 120 77836 Rheinmünster, Germany +49 7229 7772 0 ISRAEL - Headquarters 1 Holtzman St., Science Park PO Box 2496 Rehovot...