Exploring a solution to relieve people suffering from post-traumatic stress/anxiety through surf therapy.
Role
UX/UI
Field
Health
Duration
3 months
Company
School
🙋 Users
• People suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder
• People suffering from anxiety
💊 Problematic
How can we create a quick and effective way to calm an anxiety attack, using the benefits of the ocean and existing breathing exercises?
🪂 Challenge
During my bachelor's degree, I discovered surf therapy, an approach that combines the benefits of the ocean with surfing to promote mental and physical well-being. As a surfing fan and someone who is aware of anxiety through relatives, I chose to devote my end-of-year project to this topic. The objective: to explore how design can support alternative therapeutic practices and create a connection between individuals, nature and themselves.
Context : Many people don't have regular access to the ocean or are afraid of water.
Aim : To make surf therapy accessible to everyone, everywhere and at all times. To create a quick and effective way to calm an anxiety attack, using the benefits of the ocean and existing breathing exercises.
Concept : To create an accessible, discreet device that becomes a reassuring object and is easily transportable.
🧠 My approach
Exploration phase
Research on the subject: The first phase of the project was about doing some deep research on the subject. The definition, history of surfing and its democratisation, the search for concrete data, ocean therapy, other therapeutic sports. The book ‘Surf Therapy, Healing Through Contact with the Ocean’ written by Dr Guillaume Barucq and the documentary ‘Resurface’ by Josh Izenberg.
Analysis of the existing projects: I then researched what was already being done today: indoor surfboards connected to VR headsets, apps connected to sensors that can be worn on the fingers to calm anxiety attacks... but none of these solutions use the benefits of the ocean.
Design
UI/UX Design: Design of a round digital device connected to a mobile app, which guides the user through breathing exercises and immerses them in the ocean environment with ocean sounds and an included iodine diffuser, allowing them to breathe in and absorb small amounts of iodine in their mouth during breathing exercises, providing rapid relief.
Identity: Creation of the ‘MOE’ logo, an Hawaiian word meaning peaceful, calm, free from anger and anxiety. I played with the shape of the three letters of the word Moe and the shape of waves, representing the sea and breathing. This created an abstract logo, which can be thought of as a bird, a symbol of freedom.
User scenario & 3D
Video
📈 Résults & Impact
This project marked a turning point in my training, as it was the first one I conducted deep research, combining thorough analysis of the subject, user interviews and monitoring of existing solutions. Beyond exploring the subject of surf therapy, it allowed me to push my technical skills by working on several complementary media: mobile app mock-ups, 3D modelling, visual identity creation and video production. This experience allowed me to strengthen my design methodology while affirming my commitment to impactful projects that combine meaning, innovation and design.
