Lume: Somatic Awareness Platform for Aging Populations

A speculative design project exploring interoceptive tracking and sensory decline in aging adults, envisioning healthcare technology for 2070

Inspiration

After a day of brainstorming, we asked ourselves: who needs to know about their sensory data the most?

Aging populations. Research shows that as people age, their ability to sense what's happening inside their bodies—interoception—deteriorates. Paradoxically, their perceived ability to monitor these signals actually increases. This creates a dangerous gap between what they think they can feel and what their bodies are truly experiencing.

This decline is a natural part of aging that affects everyone. By 2070, Gen Z and Millennials will be the aging population—digital natives who expect technology to work seamlessly for them. We saw an opportunity to bridge the gap between mind and body through interoceptive tracking technology.

What It Does

Lume is a somatic awareness platform with three integrated elements:

• Sensor Patch: Tracks interoceptive signals that you can't consciously perceive—heart rate variability, blood oxygen, skin conductance, and temperature patterns.
• Lume Plant: A physical ambient display that grows digital leaves as new bodily patterns emerge, providing visualization without demanding screen time.
• Digital Platform: Translates physiological patterns into accessible language and actionable insights.

Our approach analyzes multiple signals together. Multiple signals create patterns. Patterns over time create confident recognition of your body's true state.

How We Built It

We conducted research into interoceptive aging and sensory decline in older adults. All interfaces and interactions were designed and prototyped in Figma. We used conversational AI (Claude and Gemini) to accelerate research synthesis and explore design possibilities.

Challenges We Ran Into

• Prototyping complex multi-modal interactions and adaptive interfaces in Figma
• Balancing speculative vision (designing for 2070) with grounding in current scientific research
• Ensuring the system respects user agency while providing meaningful health insights

Accomplishments We're Proud Of

We built a deep understanding of interoception and how it declines with age. Lume is grounded in data feminism principles: humane data collection, user control, and human dignity. It's not anti-aging technology—it's pro-awareness technology that helps people understand their bodies honestly.

What We Learned

• Every data point should serve the user, not surveillance or external interests
• Healthcare data can come from multiple sources and must be integrated thoughtfully
• Data collection in aging populations requires sensitivity to privacy, autonomy, and lived experience
• Speculative design can bridge present-day research with future possibilities

What's Next for Lume

Near-term: User research with aging populations to validate assumptions. Partner with gerontology researchers and interoception scientists. Explore technical feasibility of wearable sensor integration.

Long-term: Expand to other populations who experience interoceptive disconnect—trauma survivors, neurodivergent individuals, and chronic illness communities. Our vision is to normalize somatic awareness as a standard part of healthcare by 2070.

Built With

• dvf
• figma
• figmamake
• futuritysystemsframework
• speculativedesignprocess
• steepframework