For drowsy train commuters afraid of sleeping past their stop, inventor and manga artist Pyocotan has developed "Noriko-san," a sleep mask with an electronic scrolling display that communicates the wearer's destination to fellow passengers.
Noriko-san is designed to give sleepyheads greater peace of mind (and thus a deeper level of sleep) by increasing the odds that a stranger will wake them in time. In theory, other passengers feel compelled to act either out of courtesy or simply so they can sit in the empty seat left behind. Here's a video of Pyocotan testing a prototype on Tokyo's Yamanote line.
The video shows Pyocotan board the Yamanote line at Nishi-Nippori station. When a seat becomes available, he sits down, slips on the mask and goes to sleep. The mask's scrolling message reads: "I will get off at Mejiro station." Unfortunately, nobody wakes him up when he arrives. The test fails.
Pyocotan admits that Noriko-san is not 100% effective, perhaps because the unusual appearance makes other passengers feel uncomfortable and prevents them from acting. But the device will likely grow more effective as it becomes more widespread, he suggests. Until then, the fact that the mask might encourage others to act makes it a little easier for the user to relax and sleep more soundly.
Noriko-san cost about 20,000 yen ($200) to develop.
[Source: INTER News]
Steve
"But the device will likely grow more effective as it becomes more widespread"
Only to a certain point.
[]CS
This is too reliant on someone else's will to help. There are simple solutions to use with already widespread tech. Cellphones.
Just another invention that didn't need to be created.
There is an iPhone App that interacts with the GPS function and the new Google Maps walking directions, that also has the option to use public transportation, that will ring and vibe when you get close to the destination.
Train rides are even easier you can program a normal cellphone with an alarm to go off just before arrival time.
I hear Japanese trains are like clockwork so it should be relatively simple thing to find out the travel times.
[]Oranda
[quote]There is an iPhone App that interacts with the GPS function and the new Google Maps walking directions, that also has the option to use public transportation, that will ring and vibe when you get close to the destination.[/quote]
Most of the Japanese metro is underground, so I guess GPS is out of the question.
[quote]Train rides are even easier you can program a normal cellphone with an alarm to go off just before arrival time.[/quote]
Japanese trains usually have a more annoying announcement/jingle when the arrive at a station.
And did you ever consider that if you can sleep in a metro with all that noise, that you are able to hear your cellphone/iphone?
[]CS
Cellphones also vibrate I can easily feel my phone Vibrating if I am asleep.
If it's coupled with a headset they can easily hear it, alarms and rings are always piped through the headphones or headset as well, be it Bluetooth or Wired.
Also keep in mind that a majority of Portable Media Players and the Nintendo DS come with alarms that go through their headphones.
[]SHIN ICHIRO
LOL...CHO UKERU.
[]Cammeron
If this did catch on and you had more than 2-3 people wearing them who is going to look back and forth constantly to make sure people around them are going to make there stop? if theres more than 2-3 people they cant just remember it they have to look back and forth between the masks constantly.
[]ND
um, why not use a post-it and maybe a big red marker??
[]Joe
I'm sure that other passengers would be kind enough to wake up a sleeping Noriko-San sleep mask user at his stop.
This is an ingenious idea, but it still does not solve the problem of actually sleeping in comfort on the train. This user really looks uncomfortable, with nothing to lean against to support his head, and nothing to muffle the sounds of the people and the train.
This inventor should place his scrolling sign on a Dreamhelmet, the sleep mask pillow that blocks light, sound, and provides a comfy pillow so the user can rest his head against a soft surface Then he might have a chance to actually get some sleep before he reaches his station. Buy a Dreamhelmet only online at http://www.dreamhelmet.com
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