CALMA

CALMA

A meditation device

Year

2025

Services

PERSONAL PROJECT

Category

PRODUCT DESIGN

Role

View Now

FRAGILITY

PROJECT BRIEF

*Meditators seek a structured and distraction-free practice that helps them stay consistent, deepen their focus, and leverage technology as a supportive aid without losing the essence of meditation.

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Young professionals today are caught between constant notifications, fast-paced routines, and mounting mental strain

While meditation offers relief, many struggle to stay consistent or to disconnect long enough for it to work


The result is a cycle of stress and restlessness, where the very practice meant to restore calm often feels inaccessible or unsustainable.

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CALMA

We conducted conversations and informal interviews with people who meditate or have tried meditation. We collected their motivations, struggles, and perceptions.

MOTIVATION

Most participants started meditation to manage stress, anxiety, or emotional challenges. Many were introduced through structured environments like yoga groups, academic courses, or recommendations from friends and family

PATTERNS

People often incorporate meditation after workouts or early in the morning, yet consistency is difficult to maintain without external structure.

BARRIERS

Distractions, lack of guidance, and difficulty sustaining focus make meditation feel inaccessible or ineffective for many.

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CALMA

The core goal was to design something that could be felt and interacted with, not just looked at. I wanted a device small and intuitive enough to fit in the hand, creating an intimate, tactile connection between the user and the practice

The vagus nerve, a key part of the parasympathetic nervous system, doesn't directly "exist" in the hand, but its stimulation through hand reflexology points (like the pinky finger) is believed to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which can help with relaxation, digestion, and heart rate regulation

FRAGILITY

CALMA

Understanding the vagus nerve’s role inspired the idea of using rhythmic pulsation and breath guidance to mirror the body’s natural rhythms. By placing this experience in the palm of the hand, the device could act as a subtle cue, syncing breath and heartbeat to deepen meditation and reduce stress.

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FRAGILITY

I began prototyping by experimenting with rubber balls and other soft, flexible materials to study grip and tactile response. I also explored compounds like silicone-like materials and Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) for their elasticity and resilience. These material trials helped shape the early feel and interaction of the concept

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CALMA

The mechanism was based on creating a gentle rhythmic pulsation that could sync with the user’s breathing. To achieve this, I explored small vibration motors, air-bladder style chambers, and flexible housings to simulate soft expansion and contraction.

CALMA

During development I discovered the solenoid mechanism commonly used in doorbells and adapted it for my prototype. I built a two-arm structure around the solenoid so that, when activated, the arms could strike the inner walls of the housing. This created a rhythmic pulsing motion that mimicked a heartbeat

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FRAGILITY

The lamp’s form draws from the interplay of rigidity and breakthrough. The layered, symmetrical panels echo the imposing order of Egyptian architecture — structures built to project power, tradition, and permanence. Yet through this rigidity emerges the central glowing core, cutting forward like a wave breaking through stone. This contrast embodies Rameses’s fragile ego, clinging to illusion, and Moses’s enduring hope, carving a path beyond it. The light’s gentle diffusion softens the severity of form, symbolizing how resilience and vision can dissolve false grandeur, revealing freedom at the heart of struggle

THANK YOU

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