Traditional c-pap is expensive but this isn’t? $1000 a year seems insanely expensive to me.
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Seems legit. I backed them for $2000. You’ll get it back in 100 denomination Euros, just like in the picture.
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Yes, it’s not very clear on the funding page. Way down toward the bottom I think they mention they hope to drive the daily price down. Also, there is no mention of charging. It’s a single 8 hour charge and then toss in the trash.
In the comments someone raises this issue which is what brought it to focus for me. They responded saying they are looking into a possible way for people to send used units back for recycling similar to Netflix DVD return envelopes. But considering this isn’t part of the current business plan I wouldn’t expect it.
If I recall correctly they said elsewhere they hoped to get the unit price down to 60 cents. Which says they are going for a cheap disposable model like plastic shavers. Cheap enough that most people don’t think twice about the cumulative costs financially or ecologically.
Clearly there is a large market of people for a slimmed down CPAP that is free of wires or tubes but this isn’t it.
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When I first started hanging out here I had the same thought. Especially when they would just post a photo and link with out any editorial. But what I have come to see is that the beauty of BB is this community of diverse and smart people. While BB sometimes editorializes. The gold is in these comments. They start the conversation and then really smart and passionate people come in and take the conversation where they couldn’t every know to go.
Case in point, if Mark didn’t make this post, then I wouldn’t now know to check out the Z1 CPAP. I know I need a CPAP (just ask my wife) but the few photos I have seen of some gigantic box and tubes and … I just can’t. I can barely sleep with earbuds in to listen to music. After reading your post, I’m actually considering looking into getting one. That looks doable.
So thank you Mark, for raising the conversation and thank you Andrew for pointing us towards a better solution. I’m seeing my Dr this Friday and I am going to ask him about getting a CPAP.
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What is keeping this device from shooting out my nose at full pressure?
Their article starts off saying how they’re trying to make a working prototype, then they proceed to talk about this neat new thing that they’ve “invented”.
If you don’t have a working prototype then you don’t have an invention, you have an idea.
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What is keeping this device from shooting out my nose at full pressure?
Septum piecing? :-o)
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I think that was with insurance coverage. That does not mean they are not also looking at making the actual cost per unit come down as well… well assuming they ever have units.
I have to say that does look tempting. However that reminds me of when my grandmother kept wanting to get small unobtrusive hearing aids … that always had problems rather than ones that were visible and worked (this was many years ago). If you are going to go ahead: then getting something that works is better than getting something that fits your aesthetics. However if it happens that you can get both in one - even better. If you think need a CPAP I would really recommend getting through with it and devoting time to seeing it if works for you. (I may be biased since I have found it worked for me.) … unless you live in Ontario apparently
Good point. I need to do more research on the available models and reviews.
My concerns though were less about aesthetics and more about practicalities of having it by the bed, travel and most of all being attached to something while I am trying to sleep (which likely isn’t affected by the unit size).
Ive tried sleeping with headphones and just got all twisted up with them. I’ve tried sleeping with a sleep mask and just fidgeted with it until I had to remove it to go to sleep. I had a snore guard that worked but it made me feel anxious to the point of wanting to punch a wall. So when I saw a photo of the setup years ago, I just said NOPE.
But I have been watching a bunch of videos tonight of people talking about their experiences and I guess it is worth trying. Thank you, for your helpful comments. To be honest I am still reluctant thinking about having to strap in every night. I’m anxious just thinking about it but I think I have the mental momentum to check it out which I have never been before.
Thats what I did. I snore, both my parents use CPAP, so I thought I would just do the test and see if it was anything to worry about.
Turns out I have very severe sleep apnoea. Like averaging more than 50 apnoeas per hour hour. My blood oxygenation level was falling very low, and some of the apnoea’s were lasting around 90 seconds.
The upshot of a diagnosis like that is that my heart is working harder because I don’t have enough oxygen in my blood, and it is working really hard during those long pauses.
So the chances of it just stopping one night when that happens are very high.
Yep, these machines are kind of annoying, and they sure aren’t very rock’n’roll, but I comfort myself with the knowledge that I am literally adding years to my life with this thing, probably decades.
And I can actually make conversation in the morning now…
Edit: Oh yeah, my wife fucking LOVES the thing. Turns out snoring is very annoying.
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As an engineer, this looks like vaporware. The battery required would be bigger than this nose pillow. Worse, this so called micro-pump they have they claim can push cmH20.
That would change half the industry. If it really can push cmH20, then forget sleep apnea, computer case, server cooling, and even water filtration would be revolutionized. This guy would be a billionaire almost overnight especially for such a small package.
In the end all I can think is that it’s bullshit and if BoingBoing had anyone half it’s salt looking over this, they’d know its a sham. BoingBoing should take this down.
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Though the home studies aren’t necessarily reliable. I ended up having to go the sleep lab anyway after doing one. In fact, my doctor told me they only do the home tests to make the insurance companies happy (possibly saving having to pay for a full test).
I don’t mind my cpap machine that much–it’s quiet, portable, and does its job. It did take me a few tries to find a mask that fit well, and that’s a really important part of the process. My wife definitely like the bit about me snoring less.
It does seem unlikely that a $3 disposable device is going to work as well. And yeah, if each one is only good for one night, that doesn’t seem terribly efficient.
My doctor doesn’t monitor my use, but my INSURANCE COMPANY sure does. I kind of resented having to submit my “tattle chip” to them periodically for them to continue to co-pay my lease-to-own payments on my CPAP. It is reasonable, but I reserve the right to resent reasonable things. Turns out I easily met the usage requirements, not because I slept any better, but because my wife did without my damnedable snoring all night long.
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After this thread I am starting to feel grateful that I get to use my CPAP to treat my sleep apnea and not someone’s requirements on some database.
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I’m still not on there, BTW. This continuing oversight is really hurting your credibility, I’m afraid. Please put me down for “disappointed with the scope/quality of the Disappointment List.”
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If just the nose piece worked you could eliminate the mask and attach a hose.
They have those! The design is called “nasal prong”. It has a side effect of nasal septal necrosis if you’re not careful, though. Most things inserted into the nose for long periods of time like this have that problem.
This “product” is obviously a scam (like that micro underwater breathing apparatus that’s been posted before if memory serves), but the thread is darn useful to this guy, who got diagnosed with sleep apnea about a week ago.
Very much still getting used to my (loaner) CPAP machine. I have a full face mask, because I definitely breathe through my mouth at least partially when falling asleep. Plus I like to look like I’m in fighter pilot training when I’m in bed.
What’s funny is that I go into anxiety when falling asleep with the mask a bit, but when I wake up with it and am just lying in bed zenning out, I find it very relaxing. I guess all part of the acclimatization process. I’m trying to remember to use the machine a bit while alert and awake, which the little I’ve done really helps with getting me to trust the mask and machine.
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eventually, you’ll start to feel like something is off when you forget to put on your mask 
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I’m pretty sure nasal septal necrosis is only a risk for pre-term infants. At least, everything I can pull up involves only pre-term infants. Which makes sense, their noses are tiny and delicate, their skin is delicate, and their immune systems deficient.
The adult nose-masks are quite soft and don’t actually go far into the nose. A few millimeters at most. They are more like these weird little pillows. A lot of the nose-masks don’t go in the nose at all, just seal around it.
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