Abstract
In contemporary society, escalating stress levels highlight the urgent demand for effective mental health tools, bringing significant attention to mindfulness. However, existing digital mindfulness tools predominantly rely on singular audio-visual guidance, often resulting in a disembodied experience and low user adherence. Approaching from an industrial design perspective, this study investigates how multi-sensory interaction design can transform the abstract practice of breathing into a tangible, embodied experience, thereby enhancing both immersion and efficacy. Our literature review identifies a significant research gap in combining haptics, audio, and gamification to foster immersive mindfulness. To address this, we propose an innovative mobile application concept, "WHO U." Its core design integrates gamified narratives, breath-synchronized haptic feedback (phone vibration), and adaptive soundscapes to guide users through an immersive breathwork meditation. Through two primary modules, "Finding U" and "Nurturing U," the application supports users in regulating emotions, improving sleep, and exploring the potential of mindfulness in life contexts such as education, the workplace, and artistic creation. This research not only presents a concrete design solution for digital mindfulness but also offers a novel design framework and practical direction for how embodied wellness technology can promote personal well-being.
Keywords
Mindfulness; Well-being; Intervention; Guiding design
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2025.667
Citation
Kam, C.Y.(2025) Embodying the Digital Breath: A Haptic-Audio Approach to Gamified Mindfulness., IASDR 2025: Design Next, 02-05 December, Taipei, Taiwan. https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2025.667
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Conference Track
Track 3 - Design, Art & Technology
Embodying the Digital Breath: A Haptic-Audio Approach to Gamified Mindfulness
In contemporary society, escalating stress levels highlight the urgent demand for effective mental health tools, bringing significant attention to mindfulness. However, existing digital mindfulness tools predominantly rely on singular audio-visual guidance, often resulting in a disembodied experience and low user adherence. Approaching from an industrial design perspective, this study investigates how multi-sensory interaction design can transform the abstract practice of breathing into a tangible, embodied experience, thereby enhancing both immersion and efficacy. Our literature review identifies a significant research gap in combining haptics, audio, and gamification to foster immersive mindfulness. To address this, we propose an innovative mobile application concept, "WHO U." Its core design integrates gamified narratives, breath-synchronized haptic feedback (phone vibration), and adaptive soundscapes to guide users through an immersive breathwork meditation. Through two primary modules, "Finding U" and "Nurturing U," the application supports users in regulating emotions, improving sleep, and exploring the potential of mindfulness in life contexts such as education, the workplace, and artistic creation. This research not only presents a concrete design solution for digital mindfulness but also offers a novel design framework and practical direction for how embodied wellness technology can promote personal well-being.