THIS 21ST-CENTURY COCOON WRAPS ITS USERS IN TECHNOLOGY WHILE SHIELDING THEM FROM OUTSIDE STIMULI

BY EVAN MONROE

There are product areas in which the application of smart technology strikes this edit crew as being more than a little nanny state ish among them (and which we’ve reported on, sometimes ironically) smart phone integrated forks, toothbrushes…even measuring cups. But one realm in which we throw ourselves without reservation into the hands of virtual management is bedtime beset as we all are by not enough sleep time, and lack of quality rest when we do have hours to slumber.

The HiCan, made in Italy and just released last August, is essentially a 21st century cocoon, one that simultaneously wraps its users in technology while shielding them from outside stimuli. Its name an abbreviation for “high fidelity canopy,” the concept model debuted at Milan’s Design Week in 2009, was named one of the most innovative startups in Italy by the Intesa Sanpaolo banking group, and was briskly and 125% funded in its Indiegogo campaign.

“We want to do with furniture what Tesla is doing with cars and Apple did with phones,” its makers, Hi Interiors SRL, explained. The HiCan features side curtains that can deploy at the touch of a button, a 70 inch projector TV, LED lighting, a custom sound system, and voice control, but perhaps its most sleep friendly feature is a patented Health Package, which includes occupancy detection, log of time spent in bed, automatic light control when leaving the enclosure, smart wake up alarms, temperature, humidity, air quality, noise level, and light controls, and quality of sleep indicators. The shell is fashioned from Adamantx, a solid surface composite material made by coating foam with special resins, and the interior can be finished in lacquered wood, leather, or fabric upholstery.

HiCan Bed Starts at $44,000, hi-can.com