Soma | Devpost

Inspiration

Our project began with a simple question: How well do we really understand our own bodies?

While most people recognise the five traditional senses-sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch- science reveals we possess many more, including those that help us sense our internal states. Among these, interoception stands out: it’s our ability to perceive internal signals, such as stress, hunger, fatigue, heartbeat, and hormonal changes.

Our research highlighted that teenagers (ages 13–17) undergo some of the most intense hormonal shifts humans experience. These changes shape mood, sleep, energy, emotional sensitivity, and focus. Yet, because these shifts are invisible, teens are often left bewildered, reduced to hearing: “It’s just hormones.”

We envisioned a future where technology could translate these hidden biological signals into meaningful insights. This vision led us to create Soma: a window into the inner world.

What it does

Soma is a speculative wellness ecosystem that empowers teenagers to understand their bodies and emotions during adolescence.

Rather than overwhelming users with raw biological data, Soma distils internal signals into clear, supportive insights teens can act on. The system consists of three core components:

Soma Smart Mirror An interactive mirror that conducts daily interoceptive check-ins, analysing physiological and environmental signals to provide feedback on stress, energy, hormonal rhythms, and emotional well-being.
Soma Companion App A mobile platform for tracking trends in sleep, mood, energy, and nutrition, offering personalised wellness actions such as hydration reminders, breathing exercises, or activity prompts.
Responsive Wellness Environment Soma connects with environmental sensors and smart surfaces to create a nurturing space, adjusting lighting, sound, and ambiance to support emotional and physical wellbeing.

By making internal patterns visible, Soma helps teens move from confusion to awareness, paving the way for healthier habits.

How we built it

We adopted a human-centred, speculative design process. Our research delved into interoception, hormonal health, and adolescent development, uncovering the physical and emotional challenges teens face.

We built a user scenario around Shruti, a 15-year-old student navigating hormonal changes—capturing the daily realities of many teens. From this scenario, we designed:

A smart mirror interface for interoceptive check-ins A mobile app prototype delivering daily wellness insights A sensor-based environment using smart wallpaper A parent companion interface for supportive communication

Through iterative prototyping, we developed interactive concepts and visualised how these technologies might work together in a cohesive wellness ecosystem.

Challenges we ran into

Designing a system that handles deeply personal biological data demanded a careful balance between privacy, teenage autonomy, and parental involvement. We worked to ensure Soma provided supportive, non-diagnostic insights and avoided overwhelming users with scientific complexity. Another challenge was translating intricate hormonal science into intuitive, engaging experiences that teens could easily grasp.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We’re proud that Soma unites technology, emotional well-being, and biological awareness in a single, coherent ecosystem. Notable achievements include:

Designing a holistic wellness ecosystem, not just a product Crafting a human-centred narrative grounded in real teenage experiences Transforming complex biology into accessible, actionable interactions Addressing sensitive topics like privacy, puberty, and emotional health with care

Soma exemplifies how speculative design can envision technologies that foster self-understanding, not just data collection.

What we learned

This project underscored that understanding the body is as much a design challenge as a medical one. We learned the value of empowering users with self-awareness over dependency, and deepened our understanding of:

The role of interoception in emotional insight The impact of hormonal rhythms on daily life Responsible, ethical design for teenagers The complexities of handling biological data

Above all, we discovered how technology can help people build a healthier relationship with their own bodies.

What's next for Us

While Soma is currently speculative, it points toward a promising future for personal wellness technology. Next steps could include:

Integrating non-invasive biosensing technologies Deploying AI-driven insights for long-term biological trends Expanding compatibility with smart homes and wearables Developing educational tools on mental health and hormonal wellbeing

Ultimately, Soma could grow into a platform that helps people of all ages understand themselves better and develop lifelong healthy habits.