In this final blog post, I’m presenting a short video that showcases the development and insight behind my analog prototype, the Breathing Circle. Designed as a screen-free, tactile tool for guided breathing, this project explores how physical interaction can support emotional regulation in everyday life. From early sketches to laser-cut textures and user testing, the process revealed how simplicity, materiality, and intuitive design can foster moments of calm. The video summarizes my journey, shares user reactions, and reflects on what future iterations could look like.
Author: Veronika Poštrak
2.5 Quick User Tests: Observations and Future Directions
Over the past few days, I conducted three quick user tests to gain early feedback on my analog prototype – the breathing circle. Although the tests were informal and low-pressure, they offered helpful insights into how others interpret and interact with the object. I invited Žiga (26), Nika (24), and Črtomir (62) to try it out. Each session lasted around 5 minutes.
Test Setup
I placed the plywood breathing circle on a table and gave minimal instructions: “This is a tool for guided breathing. Feel free to explore it and describe what you think it’s doing or how you would use it.” I asked them to use the think aloud method, meaning they should voice their thoughts as they interact with the object: what they believe it is, what it might do, and how they feel using it.
The goal was to observe how people interacted with the object naturally, especially how they understood the engraved inhale–hold–exhale sections, the circular form, and the rotating movement of the top plate.
After each test, we spent some time discussing their experience and gathering suggestions for improvements and potential uses.
User 1: Žiga (26, software developer)
Žiga intuitively understood what the breathing circle was for. Without much hesitation, he picked it up, started turning the top plate, and said something like, “Ah, this is for breathing, right?” He immediately began mimicking the rhythm of inhale–hold–exhale as he turned the plate. He noted that the movement felt a bit stiff and suggested a smoother surface or finish to make the rotation feel more meditative and pleasant.
He also raised several ideas during our conversation afterward: “I’d use this during online meetings. I often catch myself scrolling or clicking random things without paying attention. Having this in my hand would keep my fingers busy and help me focus.”
He added that he would be more likely to use it if it were smaller and made of a more satisfying material, something smoother and less rough than bare plywood. He liked the idea of it being minimalistic and aesthetically pleasing: “If it looked like a clean, white decorative piece, I’d definitely keep it on my desk. It could be like a fidget toy for adults.”
Key takeaway: Žiga saw real use potential in focused work contexts and as a physical alternative to digital distractions. He emphasized the importance of both feel and aesthetics, suggesting that people might be more likely to use something that feels good in the hand and looks good in the environment.
User 2: Nika (24, pedagogy master’s student & HR assistant)
Nika was initially unsure how to interact with the breathing circle. She wondered aloud whether she should turn it only one way or back and forth. After some time exploring, she closed her eyes to focus more on the texture. She liked the tactile feel and suggested the engraved areas could be more pronounced so the different phases of the breathing cycle are easier to recognize by touch alone. Although she didn’t see herself using it frequently, she said she might carry a smaller version in her purse if it were about the size of a fidget spinner.
Drawing from her background working with children, she immediately thought about potential classroom uses, especially for kids with attention difficulties. “I see more and more kids who can’t calm down. Something like this could help them focus during class, they could use it with one hand while listening or drawing. If they focused on this, maybe they wouldn’t be so ‘naughty.’” She emphasized that a child-friendly design is important: sturdy, colorful, and available in different versions with language-appropriate text. She sees real potential for the breathing circle as a calming tool for kids.
“I really enjoy doing breathing exercises without screens. I never liked guided YouTube meditations. This feels more real.”
Key takeaway: Nika prefers meditating without any digital interfaces and enjoys practicing breathing exercises undistracted. She sees strong potential for the breathing circle to support children with attention and self-regulation challenges, especially in educational settings. Enhancing the tactile experience and making the design kid-friendly could open valuable new applications.
User 3: Črtomir (62, electrical engineer)
At first, Črtomir had some difficulty understanding the English words engraved on the breathing circle, but with his basic knowledge, he soon figured out the inhale–hold–exhale instructions. He said, “I wasn’t sure at first what these words meant, but I got it after a moment.”
He shared that he has never tried meditation before but could see this tool being useful for people who are stressed or those who always feel the need to hold something in their hands. He also agreed that the breathing circle could work well for children in school settings. When asked how he might use it, he said, “Maybe before bed or while watching TV, something to help you relax.”
Since he didn’t understand the concept right away, I explained a bit more about its purpose before we discussed further. Črtomir thought it was a smart and simple solution but suggested some digital enhancements, such as connecting to a phone to show heart rate. He recommended versions with instructions in different languages and a brief explanation on the device to help new users. He joked about the size, saying it should be made for bigger fingers too.
Key takeaway: Črtomir appreciated the simplicity of the breathing circle and its potential to help people manage stress or restlessness, even if they’re new to meditation. Clear instructions and multilingual options would improve accessibility, and some might value digital features for added feedback. Making the design inclusive for different hand sizes could also broaden its appeal.
What I Learned
- Users value a smooth, satisfying rotational movement and a pleasant material feel.
- Size matters: many suggested smaller, more portable versions.
- Clear tactile differentiation for inhale–hold–exhale phases is important.
- Different user groups have distinct needs: minimalistic and elegant for adults; sturdy, colorful, and kid-friendly for children.
- Clear instructions or icons help users understand how to use the tool quickly.
- Some users are interested in optional digital features but want to keep the core experience analog and distraction-free.
Next Iteration Ideas
- Experiment with different materials and surface finishes to improve rotation smoothness and tactile satisfaction.
- Develop smaller versions suitable for carrying in a purse or pocket.
- Enhance tactile cues with deeper engraving or raised elements for easier recognition by touch.
- Design variants tailored for children: durable, colorful, and with language-appropriate text.
- Integrate subtle instructional text or simple icons on the device to aid understanding.
- Explore potential optional digital integrations, like app connectivity, while maintaining a primarily analog experience.
What’s Next?
This initial round of testing provided valuable insights that will guide the next steps in refining the breathing circle. In my upcoming blog post, I’ll share a video showcasing this stage of the prototype in action and reflect on whether it’s meaningful to develop the concept further. Stay tuned to see how this simple analog tool might evolve into a practical aid for mindful breathing and focus.
2.4 BTS: Laser Cutting and Assembly of My Prototype
After finishing the design phase, I moved on to creating the physical prototype using the university’s Lasercutter CO2 Trotec Speedy 360. The material I chose was 4mm thin plywood, sturdy enough for the breathing circle but still easy to work with. Before starting the machine, I prepared my design in Adobe Illustrator. To make sure the laser cutter knows what to cut and what to engrave, I used two different colors in the file: red lines show where the laser should cut completely through the plywood, outlining each piece of the breathing circle, black lines and textures represent areas to engrave, like the tactile patterns for the inhale, hold, and exhale sections, plus small text labels.
This separation is important because engraving only burns the surface lightly, creating texture and detail without cutting all the way through. Since I’m relatively new to laser cutting, I was careful not to engrave too deeply – wood can start to burn quickly if the settings are too strong. This cautious approach helped me keep the surface textures clear and clean.
Once the file was ready, I set up the materials and workspace with the 4mm plywood sheets and M4 size plastic screws. These screws allow the plates to rotate smoothly while keeping the holes minimal and unobtrusive, maintaining a clean and minimalistic look.
The laser cutter produced very precise pieces with clean edges. The engraved sections added subtle textures that can be felt by touch, which is essential for the breathing circle’s interactive experience.
At this stage, the prototype pieces were not yet assembled, but it was exciting to see the parts come to life physically. The cutouts and engraving matched the digital design well, making assembly straightforward.
Final Thoughts
Using the laser cutter was a key step in turning the concept into something tangible. This process allowed me to explore the tactile qualities of the breathing circle and how the physical form supports the interaction. Even though the prototype isn’t complete, the precise cuts and engraved textures already give a strong sense of how users might experience it.
This phase reinforced how prototyping, especially analog and lo-fi methods, can reveal important insights early in the design process. It’s not just about finishing a perfect product but about thinking through the physical experience, testing ideas, and learning along the way.
Next, I will do some user testing to gather feedback and observe how the prototype works in practice.
2.3 Sketching and Developing the Breathing Circle
What kinds of interactions actually support mental focus in everyday life? And how can something as simple as a small, analog object stand up to the constant pull of digital notifications?
These questions guided me as I moved from concept into the practical development of the Breathing Circle. This was the moment where abstract ideas started becoming real: sketching, measuring, refining. But it wasn’t just about making a “nice object”, it was about intentionally designing a pause. A pause that resists the speed and urgency of digital life.
Here’s how I started shaping that pause into form.
Sketch of the Breathing Circle
Turning Breath into Form
I wanted each part of the breathing process to feel different, so that people don’t have to think about what comes next, they can simply follow the texture with their fingers and focus on their breath. Since the prototype will be laser-cut, I chose engraved textures over raised ones. The engraved patterns are subtle but distinct, providing just enough tactile guidance without being distracting or overstimulating.
The Three Phases of Breath
- INHALE – Straight Lines – Why? Inhaling feels like steadily drawing in air, filling the lungs. The lines guide the fingers steadily inward, like gathering energy.
- HOLD – Smooth / Flat – Why? Holding the breath is a still moment. By removing texture, I’m reinforcing that pause, offering tactile neutrality to match the emotional neutrality of holding.
- EXHALE – Engraved Dots – Why? Exhaling is about release. The dotted texture creates a gentle sense of dispersal, like bubbles or soft particles letting go.
Proportions of the Circle
2/5 inhale, 1/5 hold, 2/5 exhale – Why? This ratio reflects a calming breathing rhythm, with enough space for a longer exhale to naturally relax the body.
Other Functional Details
- Center hole for screwing together both plates, allowing rotation.
- Indicator hole to show which breathing phase you’re currently on (“inhale,” “hold,” or “exhale”).
- Text engravings to match, visible through the moving layer, guiding the flow.
Why Analog? Why This?
Screens offer too much speed. This small, analog tool offers something different: focus through simplicity. For me, this isn’t just a prototype, it’s a way to answer a frustration I’ve experienced myself: forgetting to breathe properly in stressful, digital spaces. Making this helps turn that small frustration into a thoughtful pause.
Next, I’ll bring this sketch into reality through laser cutting, testing proportions and feel. In the following blogposts, I’ll reflect on that process, and eventually create a video that brings the whole journey together.
👩🏽💻 WebExpo Conference: Survival kit for advertising jungle by Kateřina Huňová & Vladimír Zikmund
This talk stood out with its metaphorical yet practical framework: surviving the modern advertising jungle. Kateřina Huňová and Vladimír Zikmund offered 10 sharp, memorable tips that went beyond theory, highlighting real campaigns, missteps, and surprisingly simple creative ideas.
Here’s the survival kit they proposed:
1. Get your survival kit
Know your brand, your product or service, and, most importantly, your audience. Messaging only works when it aligns with identity. Ryanair’s chaotic memes and British Airways’ premium tone couldn’t be swapped. Know who you are, and stay in your lane.
2. Enter with courage
Courage in advertising can mean budget bravery (like Lays going all-in on football and music) or daring to be different. Kaufland’s idea to hand out ice packs of carrots to hockey players is absurd, and that’s exactly why it worked. It was cheap, simple, and memorable.
3. Hunt one animal
Focus on one thing: one product, one message, one feeling. Trying to do everything results in nothing. Klarna’s “smooth fish” campaign was absurd but effective. The Ordinary, too, owns its scientific tone with brutally plain product names. Simplicity is power.
4. Stay on the path
Consistency and integration are critical. Skoda’s visual metaphor using plus and minus signs doubled campaign awareness. Long-term consistency, like Snickers’ “You’re not you when you’re hungry” builds recognition and emotional memory.
5. Take a buddy
Mascots work, whether they’re cute (like DuoLingo’s owl), absurd (like the Panda who gets mad if you say no to milk), or even annoying. If your tone is strong and consistent, your audience will remember it.
6. Climb the tree for better perspective
Think differently. IBM made clever physical installations to demonstrate smart ideas. Jeep used unexpected ad placements (like bizarre parking spots). Dog food brands made frisbees shaped like gym weights. Unexpected formats create attention.
7. Follow the river flow
Trend moments are fast and short-lived, like “brat summer” or meme formats. You can ride them, but don’t rely on them. Heineken’s flippable phone device for distraction-free cheering was a brilliant trend-relevant product.
8. Cooperate with indigenous people
Influencers can help, but only when they truly fit. Jeremy Allen White for Calvin Klein worked. But Kendall Jenner for Pepsi? A disaster. Influencers are not the idea, they’re just one tool, and they must align with your brand values.
9. Obstacles can’t stop you
Barriers can spark creativity. Legal restrictions in Brazil banned beer logos on football jerseys, so Brahma used hair dye to create beer-colored hairstyles. Penny fought consumer price-blindness by printing huge prices on product packaging.
10. Celebrate at the end
After surviving the jungle, don’t forget to appreciate your wins. Analyze your results, celebrate your team, and enjoy the moment. Every good campaign is a journey.
This was one of the most engaging and creatively structured talks at WebExpo. Even if advertising isn’t your main field, these lessons about clarity, creativity, and boldness are easily applied across all types of design and communication.
👩🏽💻 WebExpo Conference: 12 core design skills by Jan Řezáč
At this year’s WebExpo Conference, Jan Řezáč delivered one of the most insightful and practical talks I’ve heard in a long time. His talk, titled “12 Core Design Skills,” focused not on tools or trends, but on the essential skills that make a designer truly effective. Instead of obsessing over Figma or pixel perfection, he urged us to zoom out and look at the broader responsibilities of a designer.
One of his most striking points was that Figma is not design, it’s documentation. This might sound surprising at first, especially since many of us use Figma daily. But his message was clear: design happens before the tool. Real design is about solving problems, not just arranging rectangles on a screen. Figma, like Corel Draw or Photoshop before it, is just one of many tools to express an idea, but it’s the thinking behind the idea that matters most.
Jan criticized the tendency to focus only on the last phase of the double diamond process, execution. By doing so, we ignore the equally important stages of discovery, definition, and ideation. This is where his list of 12 core skills came in, but rather than listing them all, I want to highlight the ones that stood out the most to me:
- Design Thinking: Jan called this “creative problem-solving.” He emphasized being intentional with whichever design process we choose. What matters is not the method itself, but how we use it to explore and solve problems.
- Business Thinking: Designers need to understand business goals. Learning to speak the language of strategy, money, and spreadsheets allows us to have better conversations with managers and stakeholders. Without this skill, good design ideas often fail to get implemented.
- Workshop Facilitation: This was a key point. While junior designers may come in with strong ideas and enthusiasm, experienced designers know how to guide a team through a process. Good facilitation involves tactical empathy, structure, and the ability to improve outcomes by leading people, not just projects.
- Customer Research: Jan talked about using both qualitative and quantitative methods: interviews, surveys, testing, analytics. The takeaway: good designers don’t just guess; they listen, observe, and test. Senior designers carry this mindset with them all the time, not just during research phases.
- Testing Business Ideas: A great reminder that ideas need to be tested early and often. Jan suggested testing 20–100 ideas per week. It sounds intense, but it shifts the mindset from perfection to learning.
Throughout the talk, Jan returned to one core message: the most important tool we have is our brain. Tools change. Trends come and go. But the ability to think critically, communicate clearly, and collaborate strategically is what defines a strong designer.
This talk encouraged me to step back from the screen and refocus on the bigger picture: problem-solving, strategy, and working with people. It was a refreshing and important reminder of what design is really about.
2.2 Exploring Analog Tools for Stress Relief and Focus
In my previous exploration, I developed the prototype for Breathing Circle: a tactile, screen-free tool designed to guide users toward calmness. Building upon this, I’ve delved into existing analog relaxation devices to understand how current innovations align with or diverge from the principles of intuitive, low-effort emotional regulation. This journey aims to highlight the value of physical, non-digital tools in promoting well-being.
Breathing and Mindfulness Aids
Komuso Breathing Necklace: a sleek pendant that slows exhalation when breathed through, promoting relaxation and reducing anxiety. Its discreet design makes it suitable for use in various settings.
Tibetan Singing Bowls: traditional instruments producing resonant tones that aid in meditation and stress relief. Their use underscores the enduring value of simple, auditory tools in promoting mental well-being.
Expandable Breathing Ball: a colorful, collapsible sphere that expands and contracts, visually guiding deep breathing exercises. Its engaging design makes it a popular tool for both children and adults seeking mindfulness and stress relief.
Focus and Productivity Enhancers
Morphée Meditation Box: a screen-free device offering guided meditation sessions through a tactile interface. Its design encourages users to engage in mindfulness without digital distractions.
Analog Productivity System by Ugmonk: a physical task management system using cards to prioritize daily activities. It emphasizes focus and intentionality in task execution.
Tactile Stress Relievers
Baoding Balls: traditional Chinese stress-relief tools that promote relaxation and hand dexterity through rhythmic movement.
Acupressure Mats: mats embedded with spikes that stimulate pressure points, helping to relieve tension and improve circulation.
Fidget Cube: a compact, six-sided device featuring buttons, switches, and dials designed to keep hands engaged and minds focused. Each side offers a different tactile experience, catering to various sensory preferences.
Fidget Spinner: a small, ball-bearing device that spins between the fingers, providing a soothing sensory experience. Fidget spinners have been popularized as tools to aid focus and relieve stress, especially for individuals with ADHD or autism spectrum disorders. While scientific evidence is limited, many users find the repetitive motion calming and helpful in managing anxiety.
Additional Fidget Devices and Toys: beyond the Fidget Cube and Spinner, a variety of tactile tools offer sensory engagement and stress relief. Tangle toys consist of interconnected, twistable segments that can be manipulated into various shapes, providing continuous, quiet movement to aid concentration and reduce anxiety. Infinity Cubes are handheld devices made of smaller interconnected cubes that can be folded and unfolded endlessly, offering a repetitive motion that has a calming effect and helps maintain focus. Pop Its are silicone-based toys with bubble-like protrusions that can be pushed in and out, mimicking the sensation of popping bubble wrap; they offer tactile stimulation and are popular for stress relief. Stretchy Strings are elastic, colorful strings that can be stretched, twisted, and squeezed, providing sensory input useful for calming and focusing the mind. Wacky Tracks are interlocking, snap-together links that can be twisted and shaped into various forms, offering tactile feedback beneficial for fine motor skills and stress relief. Weighted Sensory Pillows are small, weighted pillows that provide deep pressure stimulation, promoting relaxation and reducing anxiety, often used in sensory integration therapy.
Reflections and Future Directions
The exploration of these analog devices reveals a shared commitment to facilitating emotional regulation through intuitive, tactile means. Their simplicity and portability make them accessible tools for individuals seeking screen-free methods to manage stress and anxiety. In the upcoming blog posts, I will focus on refining the Breathing Circle prototype. This will involve enhancing its design and functionality, followed by user testing to assess its effectiveness in promoting relaxation and emotional well-being. Through this process, I aim to gather insights that will inform further development and potential applications of the Breathing Circle.
🦖 Dinosaur Choir: Designing for Scientific Exploration, Outreach, and Experimental Music 🎶
Today, I dove into the quirky and ambitious world of Dinosaur Choir, a NIME 2023 paper by Brown, Dudgeon, and Gajewski. Yes – you read that right. It’s about playing music with dinosaur skulls. Well, replicas, but still! The idea? Reconstruct hadrosaur skulls (those duck-billed dinosaurs with dramatic nasal crests) to recreate their vocalizations through breath-powered instruments. It’s part speculative science, part interactive sound art, and part paleo-fan dream.
First impressions? It’s wild – in a good way. The concept of turning ancient anatomy into playable sound interfaces is not just fascinating but also incredibly poetic. You’re literally breathing life into extinct creatures. The goal isn’t only musical performance – it’s also science communication and education. As someone interested in design for mental well-being, I’m always drawn to tactile, embodied experiences. This feels like an emotional connection to the distant past, which is unexpectedly calming and awe-inducing.
Some things I really appreciated:
- The use of CT scan data and iterative digital modelling (with tools like Blender and 3D Slicer) shows a commitment to scientific integrity.
- They address accessibility and hygiene, especially post-COVID, by swapping out direct breath tubes for breath-activated microphones – smart move!
- The project is also intentionally speculative, acknowledging that no one can truly know how a hadrosaur sounded, but instead allowing users to explore different hypotheses through interactive sound.
But here’s where my inner critic perks up. While the project is undeniably cool, it feels like it’s trying to be everything at once: a scientific model, an artistic instrument, a museum exhibit, and an educational tool. That multiplicity is exciting, but also a bit scattered. I wonder if it might benefit from more intentional “mode-switching” -like, a toggle between “science mode” (where only plausible vocalizations are allowed) and “experimental mode” (go wild with dino-DJing). Right now, the boundaries seem a bit blurry.
Also, one half of my brain (the one I made up for this blog post 😄) was thinking about how this might connect with more emotional, inner experiences. What if, instead of performing music, someone used this as a way to reflect on loss? Extinction isn’t just scientific – it’s emotional. Could the dinosaur choir be part of a meditative installation about disappearance, transformation, and the long arc of time?
All in all, I love it. It’s weird, fun, surprisingly moving, and technically impressive. The Dinosaur Choir might not be the most conventional music interface, but it’s got soul. Or at least… breath.
You can find the whole article here.
2.1 Documentation & Reflection: Speed-Dating My Lo-Fi Prototype
Last semester, my research focused on how UX/UI design can make mental health apps more calming and accessible, and how AI can provide personalized, empathetic support. I explored micro-interactions, color psychology, and AI-driven emotional intelligence to understand what makes digital mental health tools effective.
This time, I wanted to explore physical, tangible interactions for well-being—something that doesn’t require a screen or notifications but still guides users toward emotional regulation.
The Three Prototypes
For this exercise, I created three lo-fi prototypes:
Weekly Mood Tracker: A simple, analog way to log emotions over the week using color-coded entries for easy reflection.
Self-Reflection Cards: A deck of prompts designed to encourage mindful self-exploration and emotional processing.
Breathing Circle: A guided breathing tool made of paper, where users rotate a circular element to synchronize their breath with a visual cue.
Choosing the Breathing Circle
While all three prototypes engage users in self-awareness and well-being, I chose to bring the breathing circle to class because it best embodies my research goal: designing interfaces that guide users toward calmness in a simple, intuitive way. Unlike mood trackers or reflection tools, the breathing circle introduces a hands-on, meditative experience that requires minimal effort—ideal for moments of stress.
Speed-Dating My Prototype
In class, we shared our prototypes in a Speed-Dating/Sharing session, presenting them to different classmates in quick succession. This was an exciting way to gather feedback and refine ideas. Some of the key insights from my classmates included:
- Great for children in schools – One student noted that the breathing circle could be useful in classrooms, similar to a fidget gadget, helping children focus while also providing a calming mechanism.
- Ideal for bedtime – Another student said they would love to use it before bed to relax, which sparked the idea of making the prototype more tactile with textures and even usable in the dark.
- A minimalist, portable tool – Someone pointed out that, since it’s thin and can be small, it’s perfect for carrying on public transport or while traveling. Its minimalistic design keeps the focus solely on breathing, without distractions.
- A sensory experience – A classmate suggested adding resistance to the movement (like a soft fabric hinge) to make turning it feel more grounding.
What is My Prototype Trying to Address?
The breathing circle is designed to address a key challenge in mental health support: how to create intuitive, low-effort tools for emotional regulation. Unlike mood-tracking apps or chat-based AI support, this tool is immediate and physical—it doesn’t require users to think, analyze, or type, just breathe. This prototype is particularly suited for:
- Commuters and travelers – Its thin, compact design makes it easy to use on the go, whether on public transport, at an airport, or in a waiting room.
- Children and adults needing focus – It can function as a calming fidget tool, helping with concentration in schools, workplaces, or even at home.
- People looking for a screen-free relaxation method – No notifications, no distractions—just a simple, intuitive breathing guide.
Potential Features & Future Iterations
Based on the feedback, I’d love to explore:
- Tactile Elements – Soft materials, textured surfaces, or raised patterns to enhance sensory engagement.
- Glow-in-the-Dark or Low-Light Adaptation – So it can be used before bed without needing external light.
- Personalization – Adjustable speed settings, so users can customize their breathing pace.
- Elastic Resistance – Adding a slight resistance to the movement to make it more grounding and engaging.
If My Prototype Had a Dating Profile …
“Looking for a mindful moment? I’m a simple, no-fuss tool that helps you slow down and just breathe. I work best in quiet moments, whether you’re feeling stressed, anxious, or just need to unwind. Small, discreet, and always ready to help—swipe right for relaxation!”
Final Thoughts
This session reinforced how valuable it is to test even the simplest ideas. The breathing circle started as a basic paper prototype, but through conversation and iteration, it could evolve into something more immersive and widely useful. The feedback also reminded me that not all mental health tools need to be digital—sometimes, the most powerful solutions are the simplest, most tangible ones.
1.10 AI Companions vs. Traditional Therapy
Can Technology Replace Human Connection?
The rise of AI companions has sparked a significant debate: can technology truly replace human therapists in addressing mental health issues? AI-driven systems like Woebot and Wysa offer cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques, providing instant support to users. However, while these AI companions are effective in alleviating feelings of loneliness and offering immediate assistance, they still fall short in replicating the depth of human connection provided by traditional therapy.
AI as a Complementary Tool
AI companions offer several advantages, such as accessibility, 24/7 availability, and anonymity, making them valuable tools for individuals who may not have immediate access to human therapists. For instance, 48% of people in the U.S. reported experiencing some form of mental health issue, and AI solutions could help bridge the gap where human therapists are unavailable or overwhelmed by demand. However, they lack the nuanced empathy and relational depth that human therapists bring to therapeutic conversations. Research indicates that while AI companions can provide immediate relief, they do not guarantee substantial long-term improvements in mental health.
The Future of Mental Health Care
Rather than replacing human therapists, AI companions could become part of a hybrid model. AI can handle initial assessments and offer support between therapy sessions, while human therapists provide ongoing treatment for deeper emotional and psychological issues. This collaborative approach can provide a more comprehensive mental health support system, blending the best of both worlds. For example, AI companions have been shown to reduce loneliness among seniors, enhancing their overall well-being.
Effectiveness of AI in Addressing Mental Health Issues
AI companions have demonstrated effectiveness in managing certain mental health conditions:
Anxiety and Depression: AI-driven applications can provide immediate support and coping strategies for individuals experiencing anxiety and depression. They offer tools like mood tracking, mindfulness exercises, and cognitive-behavioral techniques to help users manage symptoms.
Stress Management: AI companions can assist in stress reduction by guiding users through relaxation techniques, meditation, and providing real-time feedback on stress levels.
However, AI companions are less effective in addressing:
Severe Mental Health Disorders: Conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and severe personality disorders require comprehensive treatment plans that include medication management and intensive psychotherapy, areas where AI companions currently fall short.
Crisis Situations: In cases of acute mental health crises, such as suicidal ideation or severe self-harm, immediate human intervention is crucial. AI companions are not equipped to handle such emergencies and may not provide the necessary support.
Sources
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