Nest's next project could be a smart baby crib
The smart home giant has filed a patent that could point to its first all-new product in years.
Nest may be envisioning a smart crib.
Could the sleeping giant be waking up at last?
Smart home innovator Nest, which popularized smart thermostats, hasn't released an all-new product since it was purchased by Google in 2014. On Thursday, the US Patent and Trademark Office published a patent application from Google for a "Crib With Embedded Smart Sensors." Maxime Veron, Nest's director of product management and hardware marketing, is listed as inventor on the filing.
If Nest does release a smart crib, it would be the company's fourth product. The patent application seems to describe a crib that would include multiple sensors and app connectivity, meaning it would combine a conventional crib design with that of a smart baby monitor.
Of course, just because Nest filed for the patent doesn't guarantee a product will come anytime soon, or at all. But the move would make sense for the company, as baby-related technology is on the rise, and few major developers have entered that market.
Nest did not respond immediately to a request for comment.