MUUN

Have you ever lain awake at 3 AM, paralyzed by work stress? Or stared at city lights, begging for sleep that never comes? In our relentless modern lives, restful sleep feels like a luxury-but childhood memories hold a clue. Remember how our parents’ gentle patting, raindrops, or the rhythmic click of a toy drum lulled us to sleep?

Inspired by this nostalgia, we reimagined the ancient Buddhist “Muyu” (wooden fish)—a traditional percussion instrument used in meditation-into a modern sleep aid.

The Muyu, also known as the "wooden fish”, is a traditional percussion instrument commonly used in East Asian Buddhist ceremonies. The origin of the Muyu dates back to ancient China, where it was initially used in Buddhist temples to help monks maintain the rhythm of meditation. It is made of wood, the Muyu is struck with a mallet to produce a rhythmic sound that helps maintain the pace of chanting or prayer.

We wanted to preserve the wisdom of the traditional wooden fish while giving it new functions to make it more suitable for modern life.

In infancy, we may not remember struggling with sleep—yet nursing mothers caring for their babies often bear the heaviest burden of sleeplessness. Targeting nursing mothers, we aim to create an innovative sleep solution rooted in Eastern traditions, infused with ancient cultural wisdom.

Our product is named MUUN. We drew our inspiration from the moon hanging in the night sky. The pronunciation of 'MUUN' also bears a melodic resemblance to 'muyu'.

During our product development phase, we prioritized addressing the fundamental sleep challenges faced by our target users. Through extensive research of academic studies, we identified three scientifically-validated elements that significantly improve sleep quality: white noise therapy, biofeedback synchronization, and gradual light dimming.

These insights directly informed our product's core features:

• customizable white noise frequencies
• Apple Watch integration for real-time heart rate synchronization
• an intelligent lighting system that set a soothing mood

Rather than simply designing a sleep aid, we aim to provide users with an evening ritual that promotes better sleep and faster sleep onset. Before use, simply connect the device to your Apple Watch via Bluetooth. Once paired, the watch provides real-time heart rate data, while our product calculates your ideal sleep-inducing heart rate. Through gentle vibration cues, it guides you to adjust your muyu (wooden fish) tapping rhythm, gradually synchronizing your heartbeat to the optimal frequency for sleep—calming both mind and body.

Simultaneously, each tap activates an ambient lighting feature. The wooden fish’s integrated lights dim gradually from warm glow to darkness, creating a soothing sensory environment tailored for relaxation.

In a world where sleep has become a rare commodity, MUUN bridges ancient wisdom and modern science to restore what should be natural. By transforming a traditional meditation tool into a multi-sensory sleep ritual—guided by biometric feedback, rhythmic therapy, and adaptive lighting—we don’t just help you sleep. We help you remember how to fall asleep, just as you once did as a child. For exhausted parents, overworked professionals, and anyone yearning for rest, this is more than a product. It’s a return to the tranquil rhythms your body has been waiting for.