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Sleepbox

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121–130 of 149 posts

Re: Sleepbox

#121
post #70

Many comments seemed concerned about the public perception that these will often be used for sex. Since this is aimed at business travelers, it shouldn't be too hard to limit it to single occupancy. Just add some kind of occupancy sensor--weight distribution on the bed maybe--that alerts an employee when it detects more than one person.

That sounds like a completely unwieldy solution. Is an alarm going to go off every time I lift my legs up off the bed? What if I put a heavy suitcase on the bed next to me? Would you want your company to be known for refusing to allow a nursing mother and father to sit next to each other on the bed? What about a parent and a child? Further, a hotel owner can't just barge in on a tenant. They have to believe someone i…

>Is an alarm going to go off every time I lift my legs up off the bed? What if I put a heavy suitcase on the bed next to me?

I think I could write an algorithm to filter out the vast majority of false positives. With enough pressure sensors under the mattress, and maybe passive IR it really shouldn't be too difficult (face recognition with automated deletes and no long term recording or viewing capabilities would probably be easiest, but people would find it creepy). Suitcases don't move the way people do, pressure distribution is different (also who's traveling with 100+ pound suitcases) etc...

Moving your legs shouldn't be too hard to filter out either. Btw if anyone wants to pay me, I'm up for the project ;)

Now that I think about it Volvo made a heartbeat sensor, I think using an acceleration to detect minute vibrations. That could work as well.

>Would you want your company to be known for refusing to allow a nursing mother and father to sit next to each other on the bed? What about a parent and a child?

This is only for single occupancy business travel pods, no room for 2 people, no children allowed.

>Further, a hotel owner can't just barge in on a tenant. They have to believe someone is doing something illegal, disturbing other tenants or causing damage.

That depends on local laws, in many places breaking house rules (having more than one occupant) is enough to allow them to enter.

In any case it doesn't matter, if they have reason to believe you are breaking the rules they can keep knocking on the door until you open up.

Re: Sleepbox

#122
post #31
post #11

Even if the pod is somewhat automated (e.g. linens are somehow changed without human intervention), you're not going to be able to get around the fact that you'll need someone to collect the dirty linens once in a while and replenish. And really, the tired business executive is the ideal customer ... but you're probably more likely to get a bunch of less-than-ideal customers whose actions inside the pod are going to…

This is such a software forum! Why is everyone assuming this is a fully automatic coin operated system? I read "miniature, ready to go hotel rooms that you can buy, put anywhere you want (inside a building) and figure out how to manage yourself." Seems to me like it'd be a good way of doing exactly what you have mentioned: a podhotel.

Because that would require people to be PAID to go around, cleaning up the sleepboxes, which may or may not actually be profitable, when you consider the cost of the sleepbox on top of it.

The entire POINT of it is that it's automated enough that you don't have to deal with that crap.

Re: Sleepbox

#123
post #46
post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> You don't have to have perfect solutions to edge customer cases and you can always iterate on the solutions. This isn't a high tech startup. These units would be placed in very public places, so initial impressions would have an enormous impact on their subsequent success (or failure). Imagine the worst things someone could do within one of these units and then ask yourself how you would discretely clean that withi…

You start by having them only in First class lounges. Then you filter them down through to business class lounges. The cattle will never see them.

You think that just because someone can buy first class, they aren't the very embodiment of Loki?

Re: Sleepbox

#124
post #64

you could potentially integrate physiological sensors to monitor for occupant numbers and elevated heart and breathing rates to detect for sexual activity, then have some sort of warning, alarm and deterrence system if you were interested in preventing it from happening. or customers who use the pod for sex could automatically be billed a premium/fee (assuming credit card use). molecular sniffers might be possible to…

What's wrong with sex in the box? Why not just install camera then?

I read that as "why not just pay the premiums of sex by selling a recording of them going at it, as amateur porn?".

Re: Sleepbox

#125

I hope something like this takes off, mostly because I'd buy one for my apartment. A few years back I spent many weeks trying to figure out how to purchase and get shipped one of the Japanese capsule hotel units to my apartment. I found a manufacturer (whose website was entirely in Japanese) and eventually was able to figure out that it wasn't really feasible (getting one of the units shipped to the U.S. was a nightm…

I've dreamed about sleeping in a little cocoon module for most of my life

Hammock?

Re: Sleepbox

#126
post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For me it's definitely about the security of my belongings & personal safety. In certain places personal safety is less of a concern, but belongings are still so easy for someone to walk off with.

You can put those in a locker though

In the US, there are no more lockers in airports post-9/11.

Re: Sleepbox

#127
post #28

In Japan we have long had 'coffin hotels' (or 'capsule hotels', pre-Neuromancer). We also have love hotels, which are expressly designed to be rented for two hours at a time to do whatever nasty, sticky business you can convince somebody to do with you. The changing the linens and whatnot are solved problems. (Some businessman-oriented places have a sealed plastic bag of bedclothes hung in the room... you have to do…

Most if not all of these places only allow Japanese people in.

Re: Sleepbox

#128
post #2

I'm more interested in a portable version.

As am I. The issue is, how much space would the unfolded thing be, how would you ensure it's soundproof, and would you be able to carry it around normally? Presumably it'd be something that expands, maybe self-expanding. It wouldn't exactly be secure (someone would likely be able to cut through it) but it'd be easy enough to make it so if someone does so, it sets off some sort of alarm (to stop people cutting the thi…

Kickstarter? :)

Re: Sleepbox

#129
post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Actually, Yotel already do this: http://www.yotel.com/ I've used the Yotel inside the international transit area at Schiphol for jet lag purposes, during a 5-hour stopover on an intercontinental flight; it beats a recliner in a business lounge into a cocked hat for thouse 4-hour dead spots after a sleepless red-eye. I wish this idea would catch on at more hub airports!

I've done the same thing at LHR and agree completely.

There's a Yotel at heathrow? Damn. Wish I'd known that last week :-)

Re: Sleepbox

#130
post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is such a software forum! Why is everyone assuming this is a fully automatic coin operated system? I read "miniature, ready to go hotel rooms that you can buy, put anywhere you want (inside a building) and figure out how to manage yourself." Seems to me like it'd be a good way of doing exactly what you have mentioned: a podhotel.

Because that would require people to be PAID to go around, cleaning up the sleepboxes, which may or may not actually be profitable, when you consider the cost of the sleepbox on top of it. The entire POINT of it is that it's automated enough that you don't have to deal with that crap.

Again, where do you read that automated is the point? I read "space saving" & maybe an implied cheap and/or low maintenance. There is no mention, hint or implication of automated.
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