-Aishwarya Bhattbhatt

The Mindful Monitor is a wearable which actively engages users in mindfulness through visual cues and body-based interactions.

The concept revolves around creating a visual reminder for practicing mindfulness, specifically employing the technique of box breathing—a calming practice involving four-count inhales, holds, exhales, and pauses. The Mindful Monitor features neomatrix LEDs integrated into an adjustable wristband, forming a visually soothing blue box during normal states. Utilizing a pulse sensor connected to the Feather Adalogger microcontroller, the device dynamically responds to changes in the wearer’s heartbeat. In times of increased stress, physical activity or excitement, the neomatrix LEDs shift to a vibrant red, accelerating in tandem with the heightened pulse. This grabs the wearers attention towards their pulse and serves as both a visual prompt for box breathing during stressful moments and an expressive display of elevated energy during excitement or physical activity.

The design ensures functionality and comfort, allowing for personalized adjustments in wristband tightness. Envisioned as an unobtrusive addition to daily life, the Mindful Monitor complements activities such as yoga and meditation by offering a dedicated, distraction-free tool for enhancing mental well-being. Striking a balance between simplicity and effectiveness, this wearable goes beyond standard smartwatches, providing a focused and aesthetically considered solution to support mindfulness practices.

Interaction Video

Parts List

1. NeoPixel FeatherWing – 4×8 LED RGB matrix – Adafruit 2945
2. Feather 32u4 Adalogger – Adafruit 2795
3. Pulse Sensor Amped – Adafruit 1093
4. Rechargable Battery

Material List

1. Adjustable Wristband
2. Headers
3. Jumper wires
4. Electrical tape
5. Black fabric

Code

Circuit Diagram

Wearability Criteria

Comfort
The Mindful Monitor prioritizes comfort through its thoughtful design and choice of materials. The adjustable wristband ensures a customized fit for various wrist sizes, allowing the wearer to find the optimal level of tightness for comfort during extended use. The integration of neomatrix LEDs and the pulse sensor onto the wristband is done with careful consideration of weight distribution, preventing any discomfort or hindrance to natural movement. The materials selected for the wristband are skin-friendly and breathable, ensuring that the device is unobtrusive and pleasant to wear throughout daily activities.

Human Movement
Designed with the wearer’s movements in mind, the Mindful Monitor seamlessly integrates into everyday activities. The wristband’s adjustable nature accommodates different ranges of motion, ensuring that it stays securely in place during various activities, including yoga and meditation. The lightweight components and secure placement of the neomatrix LEDs and pulse sensor allow for unrestricted movement, making it suitable for dynamic activities without impeding the wearer’s range of motion or comfort.

Sensory Interaction
The Mindful Monitor aims to create sensory interaction by utilizing a pulse sensor that dynamically responds to the wearer’s physiological state. This sensor enhances the overall user experience by providing real-time feedback through the changing color and speed of the neomatrix LEDs. The visual cues engage the wearer’s sense of sight, creating an intuitive and immediate connection between the device and the individual’s state of mindfulness or arousal. This sensory interaction is not only functional in promoting mindfulness but also adds an element of personalization, making the device more attuned to the wearer’s needs and responses.

Project Context

The Mindful Monitor project sits within a broader context of wearable tech and design, at the intersection of mindfulness practices, principles of Quantified Self and personal well-being. Contextualizing the project alongside examples like Fitbit and smartwatches, and mindfulness apps such as Headspace, as well as notable research papers on the relationship of mindfulness with the Quantified Self and of mindfulness with heart health, highlights the unique aspects and contributions of the Mindful Monitor.

Fitbits and other smartwatches have significantly influenced how individuals monitor and manage their physical activity and health by providing multifunctional capabilities. It provides a comprehensive approach to well-being by tracking metrics like steps, heart rate, and sleep patterns, and features like notifications, fitness tracking, and even ECG monitoring. While it primarily focuses on physical health, the Mindful Monitor takes a distinct approach by emphasizing mental well-being through mindfulness practices. It also differentiates itself by honing in on a specific functionality—mindfulness. While smartwatches aim to be all-encompassing, the Mindful Monitor deliberately keeps its focus on promoting mental health, providing a dedicated tool for users seeking a more targeted and distraction-free approach to mindfulness within their daily lives.

The Mindful Monitor project draws significant inspiration from Headspace, a prominent meditation app, in its endeavor to promote mindfulness. Headspace has become widely recognized for its role in guiding users through meditation practices, offering a digital platform for cultivating mindfulness and mental well-being. While Headspace primarily operates in the digital domain, providing audio-guided meditation sessions, the Mindful Monitor extends this concept into the physical realm. By integrating real-time physiological feedback through a pulse sensor and dynamic visual cues with neomatrix LEDs, the Mindful Monitor goes beyond the auditory experience of Headspace, creating a tangible and visually engaging dimension to mindfulness practices. This integration of both digital and tangible elements enriches the user experience, making mindfulness not just an auditory journey but a multisensory and interactive one. In doing so, the Mindful Monitor aligns with the principles of Headspace, offering users a comprehensive and dynamic tool for enhancing their mental well-being through the practice of mindfulness in their daily lives.

The article on “Looking at our Data – Perspectives from Mindfulness Apps and Quantified Self as a Daily Practice” (1) provides a relevant framework for understanding the relationship between mindfulness practices and self-tracking. The Quantified Self, viewed as a mindfulness practice, involves measuring and journalising and recording various aspects of daily life like steps taken, calorie intake, emotions felt. The Mindful Monitor aligns with the principles of Quantified Self, by incorporating mindfulness principles, particularly the crucial aspect of Acceptance. The project recognizes the transformative power of acceptance in mindfulness practices and seeks to integrate it into the self-tracking experience, creating a space for users to observe their data without judgment and fostering compassion toward oneself.

The article emphasizes that the Quantified Self, with its focus on measurement and observation, often lacks explicit discussions about the stance users should take toward the observed data. In contrast, mindfulness practices highlight the significance of acceptance and compassion as transformative forces. The Mindful Monitor aims to bridge this gap by incorporating the principles of Acceptance into the Quantified Self approach. This involves acknowledging the data without judgment, creating a space for hidden causes to emerge into awareness, and fostering a compassionate approach toward oneself.

In alignment with the insights provided by the Harvard Health Publishing article on “Mindfulness Can Improve Heart Health” (2)“Mindfulness Can Improve Heart Health.” Harvard Health, 1 Feb. 2018, https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/mindfulness-can-improve-heart-health., the Mindful Monitor project is strategically positioned to contribute to improved heart health through a targeted focus on mindfulness practices. The article emphasizes the positive impact of meditation on heart health, suggesting that regular meditation practices may play a crucial role in reducing the risk of heart disease. Research indicating that meditation positively affects heart rate variability (HRV), associated with a healthier heart, strengthens the rationale behind the wearable design. The integration of neomatrix LEDs that dynamically respond to changes in the wearer’s heartbeat aligns with the broader scientific understanding of the positive impacts of meditation on heart health.

The Mindful Monitor, a distinctive wearable project, integrates influences from Fitbit, smartwatches, and mindfulness apps to offer a dedicated tool for mental well-being through mindfulness practices. Aligned with Quantified Self principles and inspired by meditation’s positive impact on heart health, the project aims to create a holistic well-being experience. 

Bibliography

1. Lagus, Krista. “Looking at Our Data-Perspectives from Mindfulness Apps and Quantified Self as a Daily Practice.” Proceedings – 2014 IEEE International Conference on Bioinformatics and Biomedicine, IEEE BIBM 2014, Dec. 2014, pp. 40–43, https://doi.org/10.1109/BIBM.2014.6999287.
2. “Mindfulness Can Improve Heart Health.” Harvard Health, 1 Feb. 2018, https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/mindfulness-can-improve-heart-health.

Challenges

1. Neomatrix Integration: Initially, working with the neomatrix posed a challenge as the light sequence did not align with neopixel conventions. Overcoming this hurdle involved utilizing the GTX library from Adafruit, and seeking assistance from ChatGPT to establish the initial interaction using simple lines. This process required a deep understanding of the neomatrix functioning and creative problem-solving.
2. Pulse Sensor Precision: Implementing the pulse sensor presented challenges due to its sensitivity, making it prone to value fluctuations if not securely positioned. Addressing this issue involved sewing the pulse sensor into the inside of the wristband to ensure stability and accurate readings. Achieving a balance between functionality and comfort required meticulous attention to detail.
3. Electronic Integration: Connecting the neomatrix to the adalogger with headers was relatively straightforward; however, soldering precision was crucial when linking the adalogger to the pulse sensor. Ensuring stable and accurate connections demanded a high level of precision and technical expertise.
4. Wristband Selection: Finding the right wristband emerged as a critical challenge. The selected wristband needed to be adjustable and possess internal layers to house the battery and additional wires neatly, contributing to an aesthetically pleasing and user-friendly design.

Next Steps

1. Enhanced Light Animations: The next phase involves elevating the visual experience by designing more engaging light animations using the neomatrix. Experimenting with intricate patterns and dynamic sequences will contribute to a visually appealing and immersive interaction.
2. Color-coded States: To further enhance user engagement and communication, experimenting with different light colors to signify distinct states or responses is a crucial next step. Associating specific colors with varying emotional or physiological states can provide users with more intuitive and personalized feedback.
3. User Testing and Iteration: Conducting comprehensive user testing will be pivotal to gather feedback on the wearable’s functionality and user experience. Insights gained from real-world usage will inform iterative improvements, ensuring the Mindful Monitor aligns seamlessly with users’ needs and preferences.