RESET
Senior Capstone 2020 - updated 2022
A mental health wearable designed to discretely help people with anxiety calm themselves before a panic attack.
Thinking about my time before design school, I noticed that I haven't played as much games as I used to in the past. I've heard about the positive benefits of gaming on people's brains, so I thought I'd dive deeper into how gaming effects our lives, with the goal of creating a device that could help people improve their mental health.
INSIGHTS
Noticing that many people used games as a form of escapism, and everyone had different lifestyles, I decided that a wearable would be the best form to provide relief. I also noticed that a few people admitted that gaming helps with their anxiety, and further research supported that connection, so I choose to make those users my main focus.
Noticing that many people used games as a form of escapism, and everyone had different lifestyles, I decided that a wearable would be the best form to provide relief. I also noticed that a few people admitted that gaming helps with their anxiety, and further research supported that connection, so I choose to make those users my main focus.
ANXIETY
Anxiety Disorder is an umbrella term that covers multiple types of disorders (panic, social, phobias, general, etc). The different types of anxiety all have similar symptoms, while the triggers depend on the individual. Currently the most effective anxiety treatments are medicine and regular therapy with a trained professional, however, it takes trial and error to find the correct medication, and therapy is usually a limited schedule time, which does not always help you in moments of immediate need.
USER INTERVIEWS
General Anxiety Disorder has become more common in college aged students and young professionals. Studies have also found that these generations are more stressed than previous ones, so I decided to make this the target user group. Multiple rounds of interviews with people between the ages of 18-32 were conducted throughout the entire design process. To maintain privacy, general personas were built to represent the data.
General Anxiety Disorder has become more common in college aged students and young professionals. Studies have also found that these generations are more stressed than previous ones, so I decided to make this the target user group. Multiple rounds of interviews with people between the ages of 18-32 were conducted throughout the entire design process. To maintain privacy, general personas were built to represent the data.
From the research and interviews, it became apparent that there was a strong link between a person’s heart rate and their mental state, so this would be the path to a solution.
BODY AND MIND
Comparing the research to the interviews I conducted, I saw a clear connection between the heartrate and the onset of symptoms. This aligned with the theory of Cognitive Behavior Therapy, where it's believe that thoughts influence emotions, which influence our behaviors, which reinforces our thoughts.
It became clear that disrupting this loop would be the key to managing the user's stress and emotions.
Comparing the research to the interviews I conducted, I saw a clear connection between the heartrate and the onset of symptoms. This aligned with the theory of Cognitive Behavior Therapy, where it's believe that thoughts influence emotions, which influence our behaviors, which reinforces our thoughts.
It became clear that disrupting this loop would be the key to managing the user's stress and emotions.
USER CONCEPT VALIDATION 1
With heart rate tracking in mind, I reviewed existing wearable forms with users to get their input on what kind of daily device that they would be willing to carry throughout their daily routines. After ruling out what wouldn’t work, I created testing concepts to figure out which forms and interactions would work best within the user’s lives.
With heart rate tracking in mind, I reviewed existing wearable forms with users to get their input on what kind of daily device that they would be willing to carry throughout their daily routines. After ruling out what wouldn’t work, I created testing concepts to figure out which forms and interactions would work best within the user’s lives.
DISCRETE AND PLAYFUL
With there being a stigma around mental health, something simple and discrete seemed necessary for the design language. While being discrete, the use of texture and form will guide the user on how to interact with the device.
With there being a stigma around mental health, something simple and discrete seemed necessary for the design language. While being discrete, the use of texture and form will guide the user on how to interact with the device.
USER CONCEPT VALIDATION 2
After narrowing down the form factor to a ring or necklace, I came up with some rough concepts to explore possible interactions with the potential device. The goal was to explore a set of possible interactions and different form factors, and then after getting user feedback, I would further explore the design.
After narrowing down the form factor to a ring or necklace, I came up with some rough concepts to explore possible interactions with the potential device. The goal was to explore a set of possible interactions and different form factors, and then after getting user feedback, I would further explore the design.
PHYSICAL - DIGITAL
This stage of the process was very rough. Going back and forth from physical to digital and even trying different CAD programs to get something I was happy with and felt good in the hand.
This stage of the process was very rough. Going back and forth from physical to digital and even trying different CAD programs to get something I was happy with and felt good in the hand.
HARDWARE
The guts of the device are modeled from examining the components of various devices. The internals are relatively simple as most data is sent to the user's phone via Bluetooth. Traditional heartbeat sensors require stationary skin contact for continuous monitoring, but from some research I found a new type of EMF (electromagnetic field) sensor, developed by Draper Labs, that could allow for more comfort while monitoring.
The guts of the device are modeled from examining the components of various devices. The internals are relatively simple as most data is sent to the user's phone via Bluetooth. Traditional heartbeat sensors require stationary skin contact for continuous monitoring, but from some research I found a new type of EMF (electromagnetic field) sensor, developed by Draper Labs, that could allow for more comfort while monitoring.
When the user's rising heart-rate is detected, RESET prompts the wearer to follow along in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy techniques: breathing, tactile-stimulation, and fidgeting. These are all proven techniques to distract the mind and calm a panicking mind.
Through an app, their progress can be tracked to show them tangible improvements in their mental health management.
Thanks for the view!
