BrainPause

Inspiration

Driven by the "infinite scroll" trap, we created BrainPause to transform mindless doomscrolling into mindful reflection. We realized that standard app blockers are too abrasive, so we designed a tool that uses psychological nudges—rather than just hard lockouts—to help users empathetically reclaim their time from dopamine-heavy interfaces like Instagram.

What it does

The extension monitors browsing behavior on Instagram, triggering either by a user-set timer or by detecting a lack of active engagement (like commenting/liking). Once activated, it overlays the screen with physical and mental "resets"—such as breathing exercises, hydration reminders, or gratitude journaling—followed by a progressive grayscale filter that makes the feed visually dull and less stimulating.

How we built it

Using a stack of JavaScript, HTML, and CSS, we built a logic engine that tracks scroll velocity and interaction heuristics to define "doomscrolling."

Challenges we ran into

Our primary hurdle was technical precision: accurately differentiating between a user genuinely reading a post and a user mindlessly swiping. We also faced the UI challenge of injecting our mindfulness prompts and grayscale overlays onto Instagram’s complex, ever-changing DOM without breaking the site’s core functionality or causing performance lag.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We are most proud of our AI-powered response verification system. By integrating a Large Language Model (LLM), we moved beyond simple text-box checks. Our model analyzes the user's reflection—for example, verifying that a user actually described their day or expressed a genuine frustration. This ensures that the mindfulness exercise isn't just a hurdle to skip, but a meaningful moment of pause that requires authentic cognitive engagement before the "scrolling trance" can resume.

What we learned

This project taught us the power of behavioral design—specifically how AI can recognize appropriate emotions based of the users responses to prompts and respond in turn. We also gained deep technical experience in browser API architecture and learned that the most effective digital health tools are those that empower user agency rather than simply forcing compliance.

What's next for BrainPause

Moving forward, we plan to expand BrainPause to other high-stimulation platforms like TikTok and YouTube Shorts. We also aim to implement a personalized analytics dashboard so users can track their progress, see how much time they’ve saved, and customize their mindfulness prompts to fit their specific mental health goals.