simone schramm’s stressball visually communicates stress levels
(above) the ball can determine the stress level by measuring the skin conduction with an external sensor
all images courtesy of simone schramm

 

 

 

simone schramm is a german interface designer interested in the intersection between humans and technology and how we can use the latter to visualize what is hidden to our eyes. with ‘stressball’, she has created an interactive prototype that determines the stress level by measuring the skin conduction with an external sensor. the values gathered by the sensors are then translated into a physical transformation of the surface of the spherical object, oscillating between a smooth and a rough texture.

 

video courtesy of simone schramm

 

 

 

by touching the surface the measurement can be experienced in a haptic way. the transformation is created by miniature nobs, which move out of the ball’s surface. the length of the nobs reflect the intensity of the stress levels. through actively touching, pressing or stroking, the user quickly starts to sharpen his or her tactile perceptual capacity and to associate different surface conditions with their own individual stress. when the colored nobs expand, their movement changes the uni-colored surface into a multi colored sculpture. the effect underlines the emotional accessibility and the three-dimensionality of the product.

simone schramm stressball designboom
no stress, inactive state

 

 

 

the outer shell and the 580 nobs of the prototype were 3D printed. every single nob is installed with a compression spring, and the effect is possible thanks to a balloon that pushes the nobs out of the ‘stressball’s skin by inflation.

simone schramm stressball designboom
experience stress level in a haptic way 

simone schramm stressball designboom
prototyping — 580 nobs

simone schramm stressball designboom
prototyping — inner life

 

 

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

 

edited by: juliana neira | designboom