Technology has finally caught up to the most common long-distance relationship dilemma: Not being able to fall asleep in an empty bed. Designer Joanna Montgomery was among the first to try to bridge this gap — by creating a specialty, tech-friendly pillow that can connect you and your beau on the nights when you're apart.
Two beating hearts... Just a world apart
Scottish designer Joanna Montgomery is a 25-year-old who attended Dundee University and finished with a First Class BSC in digital interaction design. She started her own company, Little Riot, to develop Pillow Talk, a product first brought to our attention on Sexcerpts.
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How it works:
Pillow Talk helps you connect with your long-distance lover via a heartbeat through a pillow, whether you're in separate households, cities or countries. According to the Pillow Talk website:
Each person has a ring sensor they wear to bed at night, and a flat fabric panel which slots inside their pillowcase. The ring wirelessly communicates with the other person's pillow; when one person goes to bed, their lover's pillow begins to glow softly to indicate their presence. Placing your head on the pillow allows you to hear the real-time heartbeat of your loved one.
The result is an intimate interaction between two lovers, regardless of the distance between them.
As of 2016, Pillow Talk is now available for $179 on pre-order. Looks like long-distance love just got a little closer.
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See how the glowing pillow it works:
Pillow Talk
What readers are saying
Kathleen M.: Kinda cool, but the glow needs to go. Light makes it harder to get a good night's sleep. Maybe they could integrate a switch that turns off the glow when you put your head on it.
Jennie M.: I had something very similar to this for our kids...mothers heartbeat...really was nice, helped them adjust to normal sounds, etc. after birth.
John B.: So much for the cool side of the pillow. :/
Irene C.: This is genious! I would totally order this for my boyfriend. He's working oversees right now and it sucks being away from him. Especially at night.
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Originally published Nov. 2011. Updated June 2016.