Jiayi Liu

SoulCute endeavors to delve into the possibilities of integrating deep pressure therapy into emotion regulation products. Its core objective is to explore ways to assist individuals in releasing and confronting negative emotions, fostering self-acceptance and reconciliation. Through the utilization of soft robotics and inflatable bending structures, extrusion is employed as a design element. By addressing the pre-emotion, during-emotion, and post-emotion stages, the user's inner emotional state is considered as a vivid "entity" that can be represented through various types of accessories, accompanying the user and imbuing them with emotional significance. However, it is crucial to note that the source of this courage always comes from within the user themselves.

"Give me a hand" is a new type of inflatable jewelry that interacts with the user through their subconscious body language. It experimentally incorporates deep pressure therapy and powerful psychological suggestion to alleviate the emotions of users who are experiencing tension or anxiety, helping them avoid being trapped in a cycle of negative emotions.

Research data and interviews show that over 80% of respondents subconsciously clench their fists or grip something in their hands when feeling tense or anxious. However, at the same time, they are reluctant to let others know that they are feeling anxious. As a response, GMAH (short for "Give Me a Hand") is designed as a lightweight and soft hand accessory that users can comfortably wear for extended periods. Taking the cue from the clenched fist body language, GMAH features two air chambers. When the user clenches their fist, the pressure causes the air to flow from the main chamber in the palm to three auxiliary chambers located between the fingers. This transfer of air provides deep pressure stimulation to the user's parasympathetic nervous system, promoting a sense of calm. Additionally, the air chambers between the fingers simulate the sensation of interlocking fingers, providing the user with psychological strength. However, it is important to note that the source of this courage and strength ultimately comes from the user themselves.

When encountering a situation where both you and your pet are afraid and they is trembling with fear, what would you do?

MeowMeow is a "new breed" of inflatable handbag designed to monitor user's tense emotions by detecting their skin conductance signals（GSR). It utilizes an air pump to inflate and deflate the bag's body, mimicking the fur-raising and relaxation states observed in animals during emotional fluctuations. Embracing compression as its design language, MeowMeow also experimentally incorporates deep pressure therapy and placebo effects. Its purpose is to alleviate user's feelings of tension or anxiety in a commuting environment, aiming to reduce psychological stress and the burden associated with commuting.

When the GSR (Galvanic Skin Response) detects that the user is experiencing intense emotions such as fear or anxiety, it activates the air pump to quickly inflate MeowMeow, causing the bag's body to expand (resembling the fur-raising response in animals when afraid). The user then inserts their hand into the gap between the two layers of the bag (resembling the belly of a small animal), "comforting" MeowMeow, who is in a defensive state due to fear. On one hand, the inflated silicone bag surface provides deep pressure stimulation to the user's parasympathetic nervous system, helping them calm down. On the other hand, the user's attention shifts from their own anxious emotions to the emotions of MeowMeow, reducing their excessive observation of the current environment. When the GSR detects that the user's emotions have become calm, it triggers the air pump again to deflate MeowMeow and return it to its normal state.