Research

WHIMS: 

A Wearable Haptic Integrated Mindfulness System

Grounding and Mindfulness Techniques, such as meditation and guided breathing, attempt to divert a person's attention or intense feelings of panic from a stressor. While technology such as smartphone applications have provided a platform for readily available guided grounding, many technologies are visual/auditory-centric. This visual interface or audio often draws attention to the task itself and the user, which can contradict the intended purpose of relieving panic, and can also be perceived as a distraction or a disruption to the situation. With the advent of wearable haptic (touch) technologies, the opportunity exists to investigate the role of haptics as a non-disruptive, engaging modality for grounding techniques - supporting individuals via adapted, dynamic touch feedback. A touch-based approach to guided grounding stands to not only remove the visual attention required to engage in the process, but also makes guided grounding more accessible and multimodal for all individuals. We are investigating what haptic modalities are best suited for this application and creating innovative electromechanical prototypes that can be paired with existing guided breathing media or used on its own accord. 

Collaborators

Products

Coming soon!

Media

Haptic Modality Testing

These are example prototypes made to evaluate the effectiveness of different haptic modalities when applied to guided breathing applications

radialExpansionDemo.mp4

Radial Expansion Prototype

This is a wearable prototype designed using an innovative mechanism that allows for radial expansion and retraction haptic sensation that can be used for guided breathing