SNOO
Fuseproject 2014
Clement Puertolas
Jr Lead Designer

Dr Harvey Karp invented a revolutionary technique for new parents to help their baby falls asleep; but since he couldn't be everywhere or teach everybody, he decided to trust design and technology to support as many families in the world as possible.

In order to reproduce Dr Karp’s technique, Snoo recreates the feel of a mother’s womb using a swigging mattress and comforting noises. A uniquely designed swaddle holds the baby in the right position for a better and safer experience. Snoo is mainly controlled via an App, which is also used to monitor the baby’s sleep, giving new parents even more support and peace of mind in this life transition.
Snoo’s design language completely blends with the mid-century aesthetic, which makes it timeless and very approachable. The warm walnut wood veneer confidently contrasts with the airy white mesh and the architectural hairpin legs. Snoo elegantly fits in everybody’s home as a new piece of furniture.
Snoo being a concentrate of innovation, there was a great opportunity to use the best of the creative process and apply thoughtful designs to every parts. One part was definitely trickier than the others though: the 3D mesh. We really wanted to use this type of material here because its transparency reinforces the connection between the parents and their new child, especially when everybody is laying down, and reassures them when Snoo is working/moving. It also creates this feeling of comfort and breathability for both the baby and the people physically interacting with the bassinet.
Back then, 3D mesh wasn't your common material, nobody was really familiar with the process, so we had to learn a lot about how the knitting reacted to the tension and wrapping, especially when covering such a large frame, seeking perfect balance between transparency, softness, and bounciness.
Because we wanted to reassure parents about using a “technological” bassinet with their baby, especially in 2014; so everything about Snoo smart features needed to be extremely intuitive. For example, there only is an on/off button on one side, so even sleepy parents can easily find it during the night.
None of Snoo's magic would be possible without the swaddle we specifically designed for it. On top of offering the most efficient effects, it protects the baby from any sleeping hazard (the FDA recognized it as a safety product). At the tip of both wings, an easy and secure loop design fastens onto a hook. Additionally, if the loops disengages itself, a sensor stops the whole system and alert the parents via the App. We also had the opportunity to "reinvent" swaddling, we made it more intuitive for young parents, added breathing area over the baby’s thighs, keeping them as dry and comfortable as possible during the night, and included zippers on the shoulders allowing a smoother transition to a regular sleeping routine for the baby.
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