ADHO

ADHO is a family of smart products designed for young adults who suffer from anxiety and are looking for support to manage it. Its main goal is to help users do relaxation activities.

Goal

To create a family of smart objects inspired by a specific group. The design considers not only their needs, but also aims to reflect the group’s unique aesthetic and identity in the objects.

Target

Young adult designers between 18 and 25 years old, who experience stress or anxiety and are looking for support during difficult moments.

Investigación

This stage helped us define the category of smart objects based on the concept of home automation. We did secondary research about current technologies and communication protocols (WiFi, Bluetooth, and others). I worked on a comparison table about actuators, sensors, and reference products related to this concept. During this research, we also identified the target audience and analyzed trends connected to them.
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‍“Today we can see that life is becoming more hectic. People who are starting to live independently want to make their lives more dynamic, trying to find a balance between their daily responsibilities and their free time or relaxing activities.” – Identity
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Based on the identity of our target users, we researched similar and related products. We were looking for products that could help with stress relief and relaxation.‍ I carried out a structural analysis of some related products to understand their aesthetic aspects, such as general shape, composition, proportions, and surface details. This analysis helped us understand what kind of products are on the market and what users prefer, to design our own product family.

Configurative structure analysis of the "Leaf Urban" product. Image taken from the portfolio Smart Object Family. ADHO.

Configurative structure analysis of the "Dreamlight" product. Image taken from the portfolio Smart Object Family. ADHO.

Research

We interviewed three participants aged 22 to 25, who matched the profile of our target audience, and one psychology expert. We collected information from the interviews and the photo diaries the participants completed before the session. This helped us understand their needs and gather insights to design the identity of the product family.

Interview with Subject C. Image taken from the portfolio Smart Object Family. ADHO.

Routine photoboard of Subject C. Image taken from the portfolio Smart Object Family. ADHO.

My team analyzed the photo diaries and the expert’s recommendations. Using this information, I created the user persona — a fictional representation of the participant group.

User persona. Image taken from the portfolio Smart Object Family. ADHO.

Product family concept

‍“Consistency and support are our main ideas in this project. For people with anxiety, who are trying to regain control of their lifestyle, these two elements are essential for their treatment. That’s why making sure they are present is our priority.”
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In this stage of the project, we considered the moodboards created by the team based on the expert’s recommendation. We also defined the object family and how the elements relate to each other.

HUB or brain
The hub will act as a guide. It uses the data received from the app and helps the user by starting breathing or mindfulness exercises during a crisis.
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Table lamp
The lamp lights up when:
The user needs it.
A crisis is happening and it needs to get the user’s attention.
The user wants to sleep (the light will slowly dim until it turns off).
It is used as a visual guide for mindfulness exercises.

Bracelet
The bracelet monitors the user’s heart rate and blood oxygen level (SpO₂).

Object relationships: ADHO Family. Image taken from the portfolio Smart Object Family. ADHO.

This stage was important to define the aesthetic features that connect all the objects as a family. We did another round of research to study shapes, styles, and visual references. I searched for examples that helped me make the first design proposals, in addition to the moodboards created by the team.

Based on the product type and form, I explored shapes and functions using sketches and digital modeling. I used Sharp3D to model the products. We had conversations about size, use, and aesthetics, while I kept exploring different design ideas.

Process: sketches. Own image

Product exploration. Own image

Brand)

We did a brainstorming session and explored ideas for the brand concept. We chose the name ADHO, which comes from the Hindu language. It refers to a yoga posture called Adho Mukha Svanasana, meaning “downward-facing dog.” Based on this concept, I created isotypes and the logo as part of a visual identity exploration.
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“We want people to feel calm and reduce their levels of anxiety and stress.”‍
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Brand exploration. Own image.

App

The app is a tool for the user to configure the ADHO devices, except for the charger, which is not considered a smart device. The interface will help users who suffer from anxiety follow their daily routine.