The mental health crisis is sweeping the nation affecting every 1 in 5 American adults. Three of the biggest mental health disorders are anxiety, ADHD, and depression – making up around 40% of all these cases. Unfortunately, traditional forms of therapy like going to see a therapist can be expensive and overwhelming for many. In fact, around half of the patients who have a mental disorder go untreated for most of their lives because of these factors. I have always been fascinated by the idea of rentable, affordable rooms like the capsule hotels of Japan and the idea that people could rent out a space for cheap. Within the confines of this project, I wanted to not only design my product – a high-tech therapy pod but to create an application that helps you rent it, control it, and explore alternative therapies. It would serve as a therapeutic escape during a busy day and a way to learn about alternative forms of therapy.

Alternative therapies are on the rise and have been scientifically proven to help with mental conditions. Although they do not serve as doctor-prescribed medicine, they would serve the public who suffer from these various conditions. Some of these therapies include smell, light, and sound.

Stellar is a truly unique product that provides an all-encompassing therapy experience for its users. Mental health is a huge crisis in the United States, and alternative therapies present a cheaper way for people to receive healthcare. Being fascinated by high-tech rentable spaces and alternative therapies, I invented the stellar product as a viable solution to address the mental health crisis.

This project included a mobile application helping users customize and rent the pods, and a 3D model and animation of the pod showcasing its various features such as the digital thermostat which controls the temperature of the pod, the adjustable light fixtures, the scent diffusor, and the zero-gravity chair. Each of these settings is adjusted by the user throughout their experience using the control panel design.

Stellar's mobile application was designed with customization and experience in mind. While onboarding with our app, users provide information like their therapy history, mental health struggles, and treatment plans to help our app cater to their specific needs.

When reserving a pod, the user is prompted to go through a customization checklist giving them full control over things like the temperature inside the pod, the scent, the light settings, and much more. Once these choices are made, the user selects a date and time, their on-the-go therapy session is scheduled.

The explore page allows inexperienced therapy users to explore different types of therapy such as pink noise - which helps with drowning out background noise and allowing for focus and relaxation in the brain.

While the smart pods are being used, customization stays the same. The control tablet allows users to make changes to their experience while they sit in the pods. While providing the same features as the application, the user can see how long they have left in the pod and adjust any settings they are unsatisfied with during their time.

To fully showcase the pod product, I modeled its skeleton, highlighting the location of features, and the practical use of its installment. This 3D render was done in Sketch Up and an animation was created using adobe after effects.

The Stellar Pod Project culminated in a final designed slide deck showcasing the ideas, work, and prototypes put into this project.  A final 7-minute presentation was given in front of professors and colleagues.