NextSense Launches Smartbuds, the World's First Truly Wireless EEG Earbuds — Brain-Sensing Technology That Actively Improves Sleep

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--NextSense, a pioneer in brain-sensing wearable technology, today announced the official launch and commercial shipping of NextSense Smartbuds. Unlike sleep trackers that only monitor, Smartbuds use six EEG sensors to measure brain activity in real time — then respond with precisely timed audio stimulation to guide the brain into deeper, more restorative sleep.

By transforming EEG from a clinical tool into an effortless consumer experience, NextSense redefines sleep from passive tracking to active, brain-responsive intervention, setting a new standard for intelligent wearables and making brain health as accessible and actionable as heart rate or steps.

“Sleep shapes how we show up in the world. Yet for too long, technology has treated it like a score to track instead of a state to support,” said Jonathan Berent, CEO and founder of NextSense. “We built Smartbuds to give people what they actually want and need: better rest. By responding to real-time brain dynamics, Smartbuds go beyond passive monitoring to actively improve sleep, unlocking true recovery.”

Solving the Sleep Crisis with Closed-Loop Intervention

The sleep economy is valued at $585 billion, yet 65% of Americans struggle with sleep, and nearly 70 million live with chronic sleep disorders. Poor sleep is linked to cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders, depression, anxiety, cognitive decline, and reduced daily performance.

For NextSense founder & CEO Jonathan Berent, the gap between what people need and what current tools deliver became impossible to ignore. After receiving an AFib alert from his smartwatch, he realized consumers could get meaningful, real-time information about their heart, but virtually nothing about their brain. That insight led him to leave Alphabet’s X, where he was working on sleep and computing research, and build NextSense to make brain-based insights as accessible as step counts or heart rate.

NextSense Smartbuds are built to close the gap between passive sleep tracking and active intervention.

Unlike trackers that infer sleep from motion or heart rate, Smartbuds use six electroencephalography (EEG) sensors, the gold standard for measuring brain activity, to detect when users are entering light sleep, deep sleep, or drifting awake in milliseconds. Smartbuds then deliver precisely timed sound frequencies designed to strengthen deep sleep, the phase most closely tied to recovery, memory consolidation, and next-day alertness. Over time, Smartbuds learn individual patterns, allowing nightly optimization and personalization based on a user’s own neural rhythms. By bringing EEG from the research lab into a comfortable wireless earbud, NextSense offers users immediate access to a level of insight and intervention previously limited to medical environments.

Proven Performance and Early Acclaim

Early data shows Smartbuds deliver meaningful improvements in sleep quality for everyday users. In a controlled beta testing period over 106 nights, Smartbuds were shown to increase slow-wave activity. Additionally, nearly 50% of participants reported having "better" or "much better" sleep and improved morning recovery. Users also rated Smartbuds highly for comfort and audio quality, with 69% of those familiar with earbuds calling the sound superior. Across multiple beta cohorts, NextSense has collected over 1,000 nights of real-world EEG data, making it one of the largest in-ear sleep datasets outside a controlled study.

Early commercial interest has mirrored these results, with Smartbuds already earning industry recognition. Accolades include being named USA Today’s Top Picks for CES 2026, a finalist in Fast Company’s Next Big Things in Tech 2023, recognition from WIRED and the World Economic Forum, among others.

NextSense Smartbuds: Technology and Access

NextSense Smartbuds retail for $399.99 with a limited-time Early Bird launch price of $249. This includes a Fit Kit subscription: fresh ear tips and wings delivered monthly to maintain clinical-grade EEG signal quality. The first three months are included free, then $14.99/month, and you can manage, pause, or cancel at any time. Smartbuds require an iPhone 12 or newer running iOS 17 or later. NextSense Smartbuds are now available for purchase at nextsense.io

Imagery of NextSense Smartbuds here.

About NextSense

Mountain View, CA-based NextSense is a consumer health and wellness company democratizing access to improved brain health through proprietary in-ear EEG sensor technology. After years of medical research and clinical testing, NextSense brings to market a first-of-its-kind bio-sensing smart earbud for daytime and nighttime use. Designed to monitor brainwaves for alertness, energy, and enhanced sleep, NextSense’s technology delivers unparalleled neural insights that restore energy, joy, and purpose to users' daily lives. Connect with NextSense on Instagram, X, and LinkedIn.