Project Overview
Project Overview
Project Overview
Timeline: 10 Weeks
Team: 4 Designers & Researchers
Role: UX Lead (Research · Personas · UI Design · Prototyping)
Tools: Figma · Google Forms
TheraBeats is a mobile and wearable app that uses real-time biofeedback to detect stress and play music that helps students feel calmer instantly. Designed for college students, it seamlessly blends science-backed therapy with personal music preferences, meeting users where they are, emotionally and physiologically.
Timeline: 10 Weeks
Team: 4 Designers & Researchers
Role: UX Lead (Research · Personas · UI Design · Prototyping)
Tools: Figma · Google Forms
TheraBeats is a mobile and wearable app that uses real-time biofeedback to detect stress and play music that helps students feel calmer instantly. Designed for college students, it seamlessly blends science-backed therapy with personal music preferences, meeting users where they are, emotionally and physiologically.
Timeline: 10 Weeks
Team: 4 Designers & Researchers
Role: UX Lead (Research · Personas · UI Design · Prototyping)
Tools: Figma · Google Forms
TheraBeats is a mobile and wearable app that uses real-time biofeedback to detect stress and play music that helps students feel calmer instantly. Designed for college students, it seamlessly blends science-backed therapy with personal music preferences, meeting users where they are, emotionally and physiologically.
The Problem
The Problem
College students experience high levels of stress due to academic and social pressures. While apps like Calm and Headspace offer solutions, they require users to manually engage which is often unrealistic in moments of overwhelm.
Key Question:
How might we design a passive, personalized stress relief tool that knows when a student is overwhelmed and responds without being asked?
College students experience high levels of stress due to academic and social pressures. While apps like Calm and Headspace offer solutions, they require users to manually engage which is often unrealistic in moments of overwhelm.
Key Question:
How might we design a passive, personalized stress relief tool that knows when a student is overwhelmed and responds without being asked?
College students experience high levels of stress due to academic and social pressures. While apps like Calm and Headspace offer solutions, they require users to manually engage which is often unrealistic in moments of overwhelm.
Key Question:
How might we design a passive, personalized stress relief tool that knows when a student is overwhelmed and responds without being asked?
Our Solution
Our Solution
Our Solution
We designed TheraBeats to empower students to manage stress in real time using personalized music therapy. The mobile app connects to a heart rate sensor and responds to the user’s biofeedback by generating calming music experiences tailored to their current stress level.
The app prioritizes simplicity and emotional comfort:
A clean, calming interface helps reduce cognitive load
Users can choose from curated playlists or ambient sounds
Real-time heart rate data triggers subtle UI changes to reflect progress
Daily check-ins and progress tracking build positive habits over time
By combining music, biofeedback, and accessible design, TheraBeats transforms stress management into a soothing and personalized experience, without overwhelming the user.
We designed TheraBeats to empower students to manage stress in real time using personalized music therapy. The mobile app connects to a heart rate sensor and responds to the user’s biofeedback by generating calming music experiences tailored to their current stress level.
The app prioritizes simplicity and emotional comfort:
A clean, calming interface helps reduce cognitive load
Users can choose from curated playlists or ambient sounds
Real-time heart rate data triggers subtle UI changes to reflect progress
Daily check-ins and progress tracking build positive habits over time
By combining music, biofeedback, and accessible design, TheraBeats transforms stress management into a soothing and personalized experience, without overwhelming the user.
We designed TheraBeats to empower students to manage stress in real time using personalized music therapy. The mobile app connects to a heart rate sensor and responds to the user’s biofeedback by generating calming music experiences tailored to their current stress level.
The app prioritizes simplicity and emotional comfort:
A clean, calming interface helps reduce cognitive load
Users can choose from curated playlists or ambient sounds
Real-time heart rate data triggers subtle UI changes to reflect progress
Daily check-ins and progress tracking build positive habits over time
By combining music, biofeedback, and accessible design, TheraBeats transforms stress management into a soothing and personalized experience, without overwhelming the user.
Research
Research
Research
Research Method: Two student surveys at UC Irvine (32 total responses)
Research Method: Two student surveys at UC Irvine (32 total responses)
Research Method: Two student surveys at UC Irvine (32 total responses)
87%
RATED THEIR STRESS A 6/10 OR HIGHER
100%
USE MUSIC TO MANAGE STRESS
75%
WANTED SMARTWATCH ALERTS
WHEN STRESS INCREASES
62%
PREFERRED THEIR OWN
PLAYLISTS OVER GENERIC
"When I’m stressed, I want something that I already know. I don’t want to think about it."
"When I’m stressed, I want something that I already know. I don’t want to think about it."
"When I’m stressed, I want something that I already know. I don’t want to think about it."
Meet Julia & Mia
Meet Julia & Mia
Meet Julia & Mia
Goals
Goals
Goals
We focused our design around three pillars:
Real-time stress detection through biofeedback
Personalized music playlists that reflect user taste
Seamless, passive interaction via Apple Watch and phone
We focused our design around three pillars:
Real-time stress detection through biofeedback
Personalized music playlists that reflect user taste
Seamless, passive interaction via Apple Watch and phone
We focused our design around three pillars:
Real-time stress detection through biofeedback
Personalized music playlists that reflect user taste
Seamless, passive interaction via Apple Watch and phone
Design Process
Design Process
Design Process
Wireframe Mockups
Wireframe Mockups
Wireframe Mockups
Hi-Fidelity Mockups
Hi-Fidelity Mockups
Hi-Fidelity Mockups
Slide Descriptions
Slide 1: Welcome Page, Slide 2: Search, Slide 3: Play Song, Slide 4: Real-Time Stress Feedback, Slide 5: Share Song, Slide 6: Analytics, Slide 7: User Profile
Slide Descriptions
Slide 1: Welcome Page, Slide 2: Search, Slide 3: Play Song, Slide 4: Real-Time Stress Feedback, Slide 5: Share Song, Slide 6: Analytics, Slide 7: User Profile
Slide Descriptions
Slide 1: Welcome Page, Slide 2: Search, Slide 3: Play Song, Slide 4: Real-Time Stress Feedback, Slide 5: Share Song, Slide 6: Analytics, Slide 7: User Profile
Apple Watch Companion
Apple Watch Companion
Apple Watch Companion
Wireframe Notification
Wireframe Play Song
Wireframe Analytics
Wireframe Notification
Wireframe Notification
Wireframe Analytics
Wireframe Analytics
Wireframe Play Song
Wireframe Play Song
Hi-fidelity Notification
Hi-fidelity Analytics
Hi-fidelity Play Song
Hi-fidelity Notification
Hi-fidelity Notification
Hi-fidelity Analytics
Hi-fidelity Analytics
Hi-fidelity Play Song
Hi-fidelity Play Song
Feedback
Feedback
Feedback
After showcasing our hi-fi prototype, we asked students what worked:
After showcasing our hi-fi prototype, we asked students what worked:
After showcasing our hi-fi prototype, we asked students what worked:
81%
FOUND NOTIFICATIONS
"EXTREMELY USEFUL"
81%
FOUND NOTIFICATIONS
"EXTREMELY USEFUL"
10/ 16
WANTED THEIR OWN
MUSIC INTEGRATED
12/ 16
WANTED CONTROL OVER
ALERT FREQUENCY
12/ 16
WANTED CONTROL OVER
ALERT FREQUENCY
11/ 16
EMPHASIZED IMPORTANCE OF
A SIMPLE INTERFACE
This feedback led us to build in:
Music app integration (Spotify, Apple Music)
Curated playlists for student-specific stressors
Adjustable notification frequency
This feedback led us to build in:
Music app integration (Spotify, Apple Music)
Curated playlists for student-specific stressors
Adjustable notification frequency
This feedback led us to build in:
Music app integration (Spotify, Apple Music)
Curated playlists for student-specific stressors
Adjustable notification frequency
Analytics Page
Analytics Page
Analytics Page
We wanted this page to feel insightful, not overwhelming.
Features include:
Weekly stress trends
Most calming songs
Metrics: heart rate, sleep, skin conductance
We wanted this page to feel insightful, not overwhelming.
Features include:
Weekly stress trends
Most calming songs
Metrics: heart rate, sleep, skin conductance
We wanted this page to feel insightful, not overwhelming.
Features include:
Weekly stress trends
Most calming songs
Metrics: heart rate, sleep, skin conductance
Challenges
Challenges
Challenges
1. Accessibility: Not all students have wearables
→ We plan to add manual tracking for non-watch users.
2. Battery Drain: Continuous tracking = reduced battery
→ Added control over tracking intervals and background usage.
3. Balance: Passive UX vs User Control
→ Customizable settings give users full autonomy.
1. Accessibility: Not all students have wearables
→ We plan to add manual tracking for non-watch users.
2. Battery Drain: Continuous tracking = reduced battery
→ Added control over tracking intervals and background usage.
3. Balance: Passive UX vs User Control
→ Customizable settings give users full autonomy.
What I Learned
What I Learned
Designing TheraBeats taught me to embrace invisible UX — experiences that support users without demanding attention.
It also challenged me to design for wearables, where space is minimal and timing is critical. As UX Lead, I learned to turn qualitative data into design logic and to keep users like Emily at the center.
Designing TheraBeats taught me to embrace invisible UX — experiences that support users without demanding attention.
It also challenged me to design for wearables, where space is minimal and timing is critical. As UX Lead, I learned to turn qualitative data into design logic and to keep users like Emily at the center.
Final Thoughts
Final Thoughts
TheraBeats is for students who are overwhelmed, burnt out, and don’t know how to ask for help.
It listens when they can’t speak — and offers calm when they need it most.
TheraBeats is for students who are overwhelmed, burnt out, and don’t know how to ask for help.
It listens when they can’t speak and offers calm when they need it most.