NextSense Smartbuds use EEG to go beyond basic sleep tracking
NextSense Smartbuds are now up for order, with deliveries kicking off this month. Priced at $249, these earbuds squeeze real-time EEG tracking, audio-based sleep stimulation and regular music streaming into a tiny 5‑gram design.
What makes Smartbuds different
Most sleep wearables just sit back and watch. Smartbuds actually do something. They’ve got six dry-contact EEG sensors that track your brainwaves in real time, then play gentle sounds to help keep you in deep sleep. It’s all done with a feedback loop that kicks in when your brain starts drifting out of that restorative zone.
Inside, you’ve got two high-res EEG channels sampling at 1000 Hz. That’s the kind of quality you’d normally see in lab gear. The sensors are placed around the ear canal and outer ear, using a special Tecticoat layer to keep readings stable without any messy gels.
Instead of guessing sleep stages based on movement or heart rate, Smartbuds go straight to the source. You get brainwave data, not ballpark estimates.
Comfort and audio matter too
The earbuds weigh around 5 grams each and come with three sizes of tips and wings. Conductive silicone ensures both comfort and signal fidelity. Battery life hits nine hours on a single charge, and the case holds four extra charges via USB-C.
You can stream your own music, podcasts or use NextSense’s own soundscapes. Audio quality uses 6mm drivers with a standard 20Hz to 20kHz frequency response, and users in the beta rated them highly. The company says – among those with prior earbud experience, 69 percent said the sound quality was better than what they were used to.
They’re not just for sleep either. Since the EEG sensors can pick up alertness and neural patterns during the day, there’s future potential for cognitive tracking during waking hours. The tech is already being explored with academic partners.
Backed by research and tested in real-world use
NextSense ran a controlled test over 106 nights and found Smartbuds increased slow-wave activity. Around half the participants said their sleep was better or much better, and the improvements extended into morning recovery scores.
The company says it has gathered over 1,000 nights of in-ear EEG data so far, making this one of the largest consumer-facing datasets of its kind. Clinical collaborations are ongoing, with published results expected later in the year.
Jonathan Berent, founder and CEO, says the whole idea stemmed from a moment of frustration with heart health tech. After getting an atrial fibrillation alert from a smartwatch, he realised there was still no simple way to get meaningful brain data at home. That gap led to his decision to leave Alphabet’s X division and create NextSense.
Pricing, app support and availability
Smartbuds cost $249 during the early launch window, with full retail set at $399. They come with three months of the Fit Kit subscription, which sends fresh ear tips and wings each month to preserve EEG signal quality. After that, it renews at $14.99 per month but can be paused or cancelled at any time.
The earbuds currently work only with iPhones running iOS 17 or later. There’s no mention yet of Android support. Syncing is event-driven and continuous, using Bluetooth 5.3 with LE Audio and standard streaming protocols.
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