Many young adults experience anxiety in some form or another, and it is particularly common among university students. The isolation and lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic might have increased furthermore feelings of anxiety among this group. As part of my thesis, I aimed to develop a prototype of a wearable device that is hypothetically connected to an app for young adults (aged 18 to 29 years) in university that could potentially help reduce anxiety. Through literature review, contextual review, and primary research methods of user testing, I created a prototype, SensAble, that incorporates various sensory elements such as weight, light, music, and haptic vibration for the user to use at home to create a calming experience. In this document, I describe and reflect on the process of making, testing, and finalizing SensAble.
Keywords: Anxiety, young adults, university students, mobile app, multisensory integration, wearable haptic technology, weighted blanket, music therapy, chromotherapy.