Smarttress: The bed that knows if you partner is cheating

Recent advancements in sensor and positioning technology means there are more ways than ever to keep tabs on your loved ones, whether out of concern for their safety or more deep-seated trust issues.

But nothing in the growing menagerie of tech comes quite as close as the Smarttress, a mattress containing vibration sensors that can detect "suspicious activity" in your bed and alert you via a smartphone notification if it thinks your partner is up to no good.

Apparently, the idea was born from a study that found Spaniards to be some of the most unfaithful in Europe when it came to relationships. The Smarttress contains a so-called "Lover Detection System" consisting of ultrasonic sensors in the springs as well as a "contact zone detector", which can inform you if your bed is being used in a "questionable way". When it does, you'll get a notification showing you a speedometer as well as – wait for it – intensity and impact per minute.

Don't rock the casbah

As the internet of things gathers pace, we've started to see a number of otherwise ordinary household items being infused with tech to make them smart, with beds being no exception. The Balluga smart bed, for example, promises all manner of technical wizardry to help you get a peaceful night's sleep, though, unlike Smarttress, the underlying concept isn't based on lying, distrust and broken homes.

We were initially sceptical about this one: Smarttress manufacturer Durmet doesn't appear to have an official website beyond the Smarttress page, meanwhile the links to the accompanying Android and iOS apps just loop back to the homepage. However, the company has since been in touch with IBTimes UK to confirm that Smarttress is indeed real and not some elaborate, belated April Fool's joke.

Remember, there are far more effective ways to deal with relationship problems than spying on your partner's bed. Because that really is as creepy as it sounds.