Stillbloom- Interactive mental health app

In collaboration

Stillbloom

Year

2025

A speculative interactive object that visualizes mental energy

Overview

StillBloom is an ambient, flower-like artifact that expresses a user’s mental energy through subtle physical changes. Developed through digital and physical prototyping, the system connects a mental self-assessment app to a responsive servo-powered flower, creating a quiet, symbolic interface for emotional awareness and communication.

Service

UI/UX Design

Web Development

Digital Design

Duration

The Challenge

The project explores how we might visualize and share mental states in non-verbal, emotionally intelligent ways. The challenge was to translate abstract psychological input, like fatigue or energy levels, into a meaningful, physical form that is both intuitive and sensitive, while remaining technically feasible and symbolically resonant.

The Solution

Using psychological research and user testing, we developed a short self-check-in system inspired by healthcare assessment tools. Based on a percentage output, the flower opens or closes to represent energy levels (e.g., 30% energy = 70% closed). The interaction is non-verbal yet expressive, designed to spark empathy and recognition among close companions. Users can also engage in a restorative ritual where the flower opens gradually during rest or meditation, reflecting the process of emotional recharging. The system was prototyped using Arduino, servo motors, and a responsive digital interface.

The Result

StillBloom acts as both a personal reflection tool and a social signal, bridging emotional awareness with speculative technology. It opens space for future interactions where mental health is quietly acknowledged through design, encouraging mutual care and emotional literacy. The project is a proof of concept that blends narrative design, coding, sensors, and symbolic interaction into a seamless user experience.