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Aura

Year

2020

Approach

Research

Concept Design

 

Industrial Design

 

Strategic Design

What if the very thing that’s keeping you awake, is the stress about losing sleep?

Aura  was developed as a response to design study by Delft University that I conducted in 2020 as part of my endeavour to better myself as a designer.

As part of an assignment, I was asked to investigate the morning routine of a friend or family member. During this investigation, I came to know about his struggles while coping with Insomnia.  

Aura is my attempt at how design could help countless individuals like him to have a good night of sleep and a stress free day.

Problem Statement

To alleviate the stress and frustration that is a part of an insomniac’s sleep routine

It's estimated that about 10-30% of adults suffer from chronic insomnia with people with insomnia often experiencng a decline in their performance at work or school due to fatigue and reduced concentration.

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Research and Analysis

During the research phase for Aura, the AI-powered sleep therapist assistant, I undertook a comprehensive study to deeply understand the challenges faced by individuals with insomnia. My primary research involved shadowing an insomniac's daily routine, meticulously documenting their morning activities and conducting in-depth interviews to gain insights into their daily struggles and sleep-related issues.

Additionally, through extensive secondary research, I explored the broader context of insomnia, uncovering its intricate links with depression and stress. This exploration revealed that effective solutions for insomnia must holistically address these interconnected issues.

Based on these findings, the design of Aura was strategically developed to tackle each of these areas. The goal was to create an AI assistant that not only helps manage sleep patterns but also addresses underlying stress and depression, offering a comprehensive tool to improve overall mental health and well-being.

Ideation Sketches

To be listened to in troubled times, is no small thing!

Aura is designed to initiate conversations and truly listen to the person. Holding a good conversation can reduce the stress and tendencies to overthink. Through advanced algorithms and machine learning, Aura delivers personalized services catering to the individuals needs. It understands emotions, adapts communication styles,and tailors recommendation based on user preferences and contextual information.

Forming habits to reduce stress

Morning Routine

  • Tasks for the day

  • Meditation

  • Voice journal

  • Plays music of choice

Night Routine

  • Set sleep schedule

  • Collect phone at predetermined time.

  • Initiates conversation

  • Plays white noise

  • Rhythmic breathing

To reduce the screen time before a good night’s sleep, Aura asks you to submit your phones until the next day. Of course, this is only intended to create the habit and give an extra bit of resistance towards keeping your phone away.

The nightstand being a precious real estate in the bedroom, Aura comes with the capability to store and charge up to 2 devices with a combination of a wireless charger, USB-C cable and lightning cable

Light Orb

The light orb helps with those times when you need to use a small light source without disturbing your or your partner’s sleep.

 

Light orb also works in tandem with rhythmic breathing of Aura to get you back to sleep faster. It can have enough backup to last 10 min at maximum brightness and charges up automatically when placed back on Aura

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