Role
Lead Designer
Timeline
March 2026
Team
3 Designers
Platform
Mobile Application
OVERVIEW
What if your phone could sense an overwhelming environment before your body did?
The truth is that most wellness tools wait for you to tip over the edge before they help, so Interra was designed around a different premise.
This mobile app combines biometric data (heart rate, breathing, movement, etc. via smartwatch) with environmental sensing (noise levels, crowd density, lighting) to give users early warning before those symptoms of sensory overload hit. It then guides users towards a state of calm by bringing up a list og nearby calm spaces and recommending evidence-based regulation techniques like box breathing and grounding exercises.
MAIN GOAL
The design goal in mind
With this app, I wanted to design a speculative tool that could detect, visualize, and help manage sensory overload in real time.
By quantifying sensory input and internal stress signals, the system would help users:
1
Recognize
early signs of nervous system overload
2
Understand
how their environment impacts their nervous system
3
Access
guided regulation techniques to calm down their body
4
Rebalance
their sensory state before they start to feel overwhelmed
RESEARCH
But why these four goals?
The truth is that most wellness tools wait for you to tip over the edge before they help.
Interra was designed around a different premise.
This mobile app combines biometric data (heart rate, breathing, movement, etc. via smartwatch) with environmental sensing (noise levels, crowd density, lighting) to give users early warning before those symptoms of sensory overload hit. It then guides users towards a state of calm by bringing up a list og nearby calm spaces and recommending evidence-based regulation techniques like box breathing and grounding exercises.
After conducting surveys to gauge the overall user response to the original website, we uncovered several key trends.
out of 18
survey participants ranked their interest a 3 out of 5 (or higher) regarding technology that could help them map out hidden sensory data.
Key Finding
Most survey respondents reported dealing with feelings of overwhelm by reacting rather then preventing.
They aren't able to anticipate it, and thus need tools that can inform them before their nervous system does.
HIFI WIREFRAMES
The final high-fidelity designs
Translating a speculative concept into a high-fidelity interface meant designing for a user who might already be on the edge of sensory distress. We focused on absolute clarity, intentional spacing, and radical data transparency. The final ecosystem doesn’t just display telemetry; it transforms complex biometric and environmental signals into an intuitive, calming companion that actively protects your peace of mind.
1. Transparent Onboarding
A welcoming setup that establishes a user's sensory profile (identifying their specific triggers and speed of overstimulation) while providing ironclad data transparency.
2. Proactive Interventions
If a user's heart rhythm spikes or movement patterns register as rapid fidgeting, Interra sends a gentle push notification before full escalation hits. The alert routes them directly to nearby calm sanctuaries or step-by-step grounding protocols.
3. The Predictive Dashboard
A clean interface displaying real-time internal metrics (HRV, breathing, movement) right alongside immediate environmental indicators (Quiet, Calm, Bright).
FINAL THOUGHTS
Balancing the scales: design tradeoffs
Designing under a tight deadline means making tough choices. We had to balance technical ideals with real-world human comfort:
Accuracy vs. Privacy
Most survey respondents reported dealing with feelings of overwhelm by reacting rather then preventing.
They aren't able to anticipate it, and thus need tools that can inform them before their nervous system does.
Simplicity vs. Depth
We cut out dense, complex analytical charts of sensory patterns. When a user is on the verge of panic, the last thing they need is cognitive overload from a complicated interface.