QUIET NIGHT AIMS TO REDUCE BABY CRYING & SPEED UP BRAIN DEVELOPMENT

Posted By Simon Montford on March 12, 2015

Disclaimer: I've known both Hermione and Ben Way, founders of Quiet Night, for many years and so, for the sake of my readers, I will do my very best to be as objective as possible! Quiet Night is the ultimate parent-friendly appcessory that will delight both parents, as well as the youngest member of the family. This is because the device plays soothing tunes that keep babies occupied and happy, leading to a 50% reduction in crying. They say silence is golden, so I believe this product has huge potential.

What makes it particularly interesting is that the accompanying app is able to monitor and learn which tracks each baby likes. It does this by counting how many times the baby pulls a little lever that's connected to the device. It also measures how long the baby holds onto it when an enjoyable piece of music is heard. Initially simple music is played, but as the baby progresses, more complex arrangements can be played that further stimulate the baby's brain.  


BabyTech is a very lucrative sector. In 2013, GfK estimated that the market in the UK alone was worth around £900 million annually. The average spend per birth was around £1,200 excluding nappies, baby food, and other grocery products. Internet purchases continue to remain strong, and the segment continues to experience growth. In the US, sales of baby care products are expected to increase to $66.8 billion (£45 bn) by 2017.


The research behind the product was undertaken by the late Tom Troscianko, who was a professor at the Bristol University School of Experimental Psychology. During his reaearch, he discovered that giving babies the ability to control what music they listen to increased brain size and hastened development. A reduction in the time spent by the baby crying, was a pleasant side-effect. 


The device comes with a selection of music pre-installed, but additional tracks will be made available which parents will be able to download via the app. Of course music from the era of Mozart and Beethoven isn't under copyright, so only modern tracks from the likes of Disney, Pixar and others would need to be licensed by the San Francisco-based startup.


If you've got a small child and you're the kind of parent who wouldn't mind getting an extra hour of sleep per day (which parent wouldn't), I suggest you hurry over to Indiegogo and pre-order one.  Prices start at $59 (£40), and the company will offer International shipping for an additional fee of $20 (£14). Free shipping will be offered within the UK. If you require a "Base Station", that will cost an additional $149 (£100). The standard model comes in white, but the Quiet Night can also be pre-ordered in Limited Edition pink and blue for an additional thirty bucks. The estimated shipping date is October 2015.


Sadly Professor Troscianko recently passed away, so will not witness the launch of the Quiet Night.

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