Gloei
In Short
Gloei is an app and smart desk lamp designed to enhance users' mental well-being. By interacting with users through changes in illumination and physical orientation, Gloei encourages activities that boost mood and induce positivity. The lamp leverages research on the psychological effects of light to create a healthier work environment.

Project Info

Duration: 4 Months
Focus: UX/UI, Emotional Design, Mental Well-being
Context: HCI Project

Exploration
Working from home or office at a desk all day is becoming the norm these days, which could be depressing for many of us. Sometimes a brief break, a quick exercise, or a fun game, can instantly uplift our mood and put a smile on our face. According to my primary and secondary research, light has a direct effect on human psychology and people's mood. Based on these insights, I designed Gloei: a smart desk lamp that improves users mental health by engaging them inactivities that uplift their mood through changing light and its physical posture.
Secondary Research

Light creates more than just visual effects, it also has biological and psychological effects that can impact our health and wellbeing.

  • Light can improve mood and stabilize our circadian rhythms, helping us get a better and deeper nights sleep.
  • Psychologically, light can decrease depression scores and even increase cognitive performance such as reaction time and activation.
  • Light can affect our Circadian rhythm which controls our melatonin secretion and cortisol activity. These hormones are responsible for regulating our feelings and emotions.


  • Source: “The Experience of Nature: A Psychological Perspective” by Rachel and Stephen Kaplan

    Primary Research

    What I wanted to know:

  • How people choose their light sources
  • What drives their decisions
  • What is important to them
  • What they care about
  • How light affects them in general
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    Insights

    What I found out:

  • Light has a huge effect on people's mood without them consciously knowing
  • People almost always talk about their feelings when they describe their light sources
  • light can trigger memory
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    Opportunity Area

    How Might We create a light source that improves our mental health?

    Ideation
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    Inspiration

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    App UI
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