Review: The Miku Baby Monitor Delivers Government-Level Surveillance

As a new parent, you’d give anything for peace of mind, especially during those unattended hours when your child is in his crib. And if government-style security that uses artificial intelligence to track your baby’s sleep patterns is your jam, look no further than the Miku, a monitor that was introduced to rave reviews and awards at CES this year. As a mom of a now 14-month-old, I recently had the chance to put it to the test.

I was introduced to the Miku when my son had just turned one, which meant I used a different monitor for the first year of his life. This original guy—which shall not be named, but cost me $200—got the job done. It gave me a black and white visual and, if I zoomed in close enough, allowed me to sort of see his chest rise and fall through the crib bars. (We had it affixed to the side of the crib when he was born, but as soon as he could pull himself up—and knock it down—we had to relocate the it to the changing table, a move that definitely had a negative impact on our view.)

That’s what appealed to me most about the Miku. It’s actually wall-mounted at the crib center and 60 inches above the crib rail, offering an aerial view that my son can’t mess with, no matter how mobile he gets. And even though the device isn’t cordless, it comes with a cord cover that also attaches to the wall, making it baby-safe, but also something I wouldn’t have to re-position time and time again. (More about that top-down view later.)

The Miku, which was created by a dad who used to work on advanced military research for the Department of Defense, uses something called SensorFusion technology to read and track a baby (or toddler’s) breathing and sleep patterns without anything (say, wearables or wires) attached to their person. The device—which pairs with a free app—also generates sleep reports so you get a picture of your child’s nighttime health.

It also measures the room’s temperature and humidity in real time, and is equipped with dual Ole Wolff speakers that allow for two-way talking and piped in lullabies or white noise. There’s even a high-definition camera that comes with the option to save photos and videos, should you want a permanent record of that time your child fell asleep with a pacifier between his toes.

So, what did I love about it? Well, I can’t say enough about the wall mount. At first, I was skeptical—I also was wary of piercing my carefully affixed peel and stick wallpaper. But once I did it, the profile was low and the opportunity to have a view that looks straight down at the crib meant that I could see my son no matter what angle he’d contorted himself into. The picture quality is clear and so is the reporting. I could, at a glance, see his heart rate, but I also loved the detailed accounts of his middle of the night wake-ups. Fun fact: My son wakes up kind of consistently at 10:37 p.m. and 1:53 a.m. every night. (We’re working on it. Le sigh.)

As for the drawbacks? Miku says it “leverages multiple sensor modalities interpreted with a genius AI.” Not sure if that’s code for sensitive, but there were a handful of times—like when I was downstairs at my neighbor’s watching the Game of Thrones premiere—that I got a red alert saying “no movement.” (A false alarm, but one that sent me running upstairs in a panic.)

But overall, it’s safe to say I’m a fan. The device is sleek, and the experience—and information gleaned—is seamless. The fact that it’s government grade? That’s just code for top-notch tech.