Synapse

Inspiration

Our project was inspired by the stress, anxiety, and negative habits that many people experience in everyday life. Behaviors such as hair pulling or skin picking often happen unconsciously, making them difficult to recognize and manage.

We were also inspired by pre-existing ear wearables and in-ear headphones, such as the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds. These devices show how wearables can be seamlessly integrated into everyday life without being intrusive.

This led us to explore how an ear-worn wearable device could detect subtle physiological signals and behavioral patterns to help users become more aware of their stress responses and repetitive habits.

What it does

An ear-worn wearable device that can detect subtle physiological signals and behavioral patterns to help users become more aware of their stress responses and repetitive habits.

How we built it

Given the time constraints of the project, our team distributed tasks based on each member’s skills, interests, and strengths. This allowed us to work efficiently while ensuring that each component of the project received focused attention.

We also held collaborative team work sessions, where we developed ideas together, refined our concept, and iterated on the design of both the wearable device and the mobile dashboard.

Through these sessions, we were able to build a cohesive concept that connects the ear wearable sensor with a mobile application designed to track and visualize biometric signals.

Challenges we ran into

One of the main challenges we encountered was our initial unfamiliarity with the wearable technology and healthcare industries. Designing a product that integrates biometric sensing, behavioral tracking, and health insights required us to quickly research new topics and technologies.

Despite this challenge, we were able to navigate the learning process, develop a prototype, and a complete pitch presentation.

This experience pushed us to think critically about the future possibilities of wearable technology, especially how it can support mental health awareness and behavioral change.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

• Built a high-fidelity prototype in Figma
• Developed a clear product narrative through our pitch deck
• Identified future AI and provider-integration opportunities
• Identified and addressed a specific user need that has historically been underserved, making support more accessible through our solution.

What we learned

Through this project, we learned more about the potential of biometric data in supporting behavioral awareness and treatment. In particular, we explored how physiological signals, such as heart rate, breathing patterns, and movement. These biometric data can be aggregated to generate meaningful insights for individuals experiencing body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs).

We also gained a deeper understanding of:

• The different types of wearable technologies currently available
• The variety of data points wearables can capture, including physiological and motion-based signals
• How biometric data can be translated into actionable insights through thoughtful interface design

These insights helped shape how our system visualizes and interprets data within the mobile dashboard.

What's next for Synapse

We plan to:

• Integrate an LLM-powered chatbot interface to help users identify and understand triggers behind their repetitive behaviors
• A provider dashboard that allows therapists to monitor client progress and use the tool alongside treatment

Built With

• figma