Breathing with a ball will support a person's mental health
Alex Farral, a computer science student at the University of Bath (UK), has invented a soft ball that contracts and expands in sync with a person's inhalations and exhalations. The ball is designed to support mental health: it gives the user a tactile representation of breathing, helping them to focus and regulate their emotions. The findings were presented at the CHI '23 conference (Proceedings of the 2023 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems).
The process of breathing is usually ignored by humans, but when it is done deeply and consciously, it alleviates anxiety and promotes well-being. Controlled breathing is an important part of meditation, cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, mindfulness practices, etc.
However, most people find it difficult to keep their attention on the breath. Once out of the process, they are likely to revert to their previous unconscious mode and become less receptive to mental health interventions that require concentration.
To help people better focus on breathing, computer science student Alex Farral created a soft and tactilely pleasing ball called PAWS (Physical Artefact for Well-being Support) that represents the breathing process: the device changes shape as you inhale and exhale.
Two groups of subjects performed breathing exercises: the first group was given the ball and audio prompts from a meditation app, while the second group relied only on the audio recording.
Among those who used the ball, their anxiety decreased by 75% and their defense against negative thoughts increased by 56%. In addition, their heart rate variability increased, indicating better stress tolerance and emotional regulation. People who only exercised by audio recording only had a 31% decrease in anxiety.
Farral explained how the device helps the user: "When a person holds the ball, his breathing becomes a physical phenomenon encapsulated in his hands. He can feel and see the flow of air as the object expands and contracts. This makes the person more aware of his inner sensations and more receptive to psychological changes."
For now, the ball works through haptic feedback: sensors attached to the user's body transmit data about breathing patterns to the ball via a computer. However, future versions will use Bluetooth technology and intelligent geometric structures to get rid of inconvenient wires and make the device easier to use.
The author of the development hopes that in time, his ball will become a tool used by mental health professionals and ordinary people alike.
"I want this device to be a real catalyst for improving mental health not only in clinical settings, but also in the home," Farrall said.