Speculative data meter
MindLoop
Your mind, in motion
Sneha Karunanithi | IxD’ 25
Type
Academic | Individual
Duration
— 3 weeks
Mentored By
— Professor Chakradhar Saswade
9:41
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LIVE METER
i
Repeating
Same thought for 24 min
72
/100
LOOP INTENSITY
Moving
Slowing
Repeating
Looping
LAST HOUR
now
Heart
HRV ↓18%
Skin
EDA ↑ 2.1µS
Behaviour
14 revisits
High confidence · 3 of 4 signals agree
9:41
←
Skip
Learning
your normal
Wear your earcuff as usual. For 7 days we’ll learn your personal baseline — so we only nudge you when something is truly different.
Earcuff · connected
DAY 3 OF 7
M
T
W
T
F
S
S
Heart rhythm
Learned
Skin response
Learned
Movement
Learning…
Phone patterns
Learning…
Continue
Overview
Have you ever spent 30 minutes thinking about something that should have taken 5, and played it over and over in your head without getting to a conclusion?
MindLoop is a speculative wearable and mobile system that translates physiological and behavioural signals into a visual representation of repetitive thinking — helping users recognise when their thoughts may be going in circles and consciously choose what to do next.
Overview
Have you ever spent 30 minutes thinking about something that should have taken 5, and played it over and over in your head without getting to a conclusion?
MindLoop is a speculative wearable and mobile system that translates physiological and behavioural signals into a visual representation of repetitive thinking — helping users recognise when their thoughts may be going in circles and consciously choose what to do next.
The problem
10
min
→
30
min
→
1
hour
Overthinking is difficult to recognise while you’re doing it.
...thinking about the same decision, conversation or problem.
But there is no obvious physical indicator that tells you
“You’ve been thinking about the same thing for too long.”
WHY
Why is this still a problem when so many of us already wear wellness devices?
Existing wellness wearables track the body — not the thinking loop itself.
Heart rate
HRV
Stress
Sleep
Breathing
Can we detect when thinking stops moving forward and starts going in circles?
The context
Overthinking is an information problem - the data exists, but the person inside the loop can’t see it.
Situation
Everyday moments of uncertainty
Difficult decisions, replaying conversations, hesitating before sending.
Phenomenon
Repetitive Negative Thinking (RNT)
Worry and rumination: repetitive thinking without new insights.
Role of information
Missing feedback
Loop traces exist in the body (HR, HRV, skin) and behavior (re-reading, editing, app switching) — yet they are scattered and unclear.
The GOAL
Goal: Turning invisible data into a moment of choice
Data
→
Information
→
Awareness
→
Agency
Speculative data meter
MindLoop
Your mind, in motion
Sneha Karunanithi | IxD’ 25
Type
Academic | Individual
Duration
— 3 weeks
Mentored By
— Professor Chakradhar Saswade
How might we
help people recognise when their thinking becomes repetitive, and give them the agency to consciously break the loop?
How might we
help people recognise when their thinking becomes repetitive, and give them the agency to consciously break the loop?
When
Moments when thinking quietly turns into looping
“
Should I accept this opportunity?
During a difficult decision
“
Did I say something wrong?
After a social interaction
“
Is this design good enough?
During work
“
Should I send this message?
Before sending something
“
Why did that happen?
At night
Design principle
The device should not constantly tell you that you’re overthinking.
It should intervene only when a sustained pattern is detected.
Who
Primary users
People who think carefully — and sometimes can’t tell when careful has become circular.
01
Frequently second-guess decisions
02
Spend a long time making relatively small decisions
03
Repeatedly revisit conversations
04
Get stuck during creative work
05
Struggle to recognise when reflection has become repetitive
Storyboard
The solution
A wearable + mobile system that estimates when thinking is moving toward a resolution — versus repeatedly returning to the same thought, question or decision.
01
Sense
The earcuff gathers physiological signals; the phone adds behavioural ones.
02
Visualise
Signals are translated into a changing Cognitive Loop Intensity.
03
Respond
The user recognises the pattern and chooses to continue, pause or redirect.
The key idea
What if you could see the moment your thoughts stop moving forward?
The meter does not read thoughts. It combines physiological, behavioural and contextual signals to estimate a new quantity — Cognitive Loop Intensity.
01
Moving
Thinking progresses toward a resolution or action.
02
Slowing
Progress stalls; the same ground is covered again.
03
Repeating
Thought returns to the same point again and again.
04
Looping
Sustained, circular thinking with no new understanding.
Moving
Slowing
Repeating
Looping
Moving → Slowing → Repeating → Looping · Cognitive Loop Intensity (estimated, relative to personal baseline)
Earcuff Device Ideation
How
How the loop is estimated / Calculated?
Sustained physiological arousal
+
Repetitive behaviour
+
Unusually prolonged engagement
+
Lack of progression
=
Estimated loop
01
Sense
Earcuff gathers physiological signals
→
02
Interpret
Weighs persistence, repetition, context & baseline
→
03
Visualise
App shows the Cognitive Loop Meter
→
04
Check in
User confirms, corrects or dismisses
→
05
Respond
Continue, pause, reframe or externalise
→
06
Learn
Feedback personalises future interactions
Product intro · Physical
Cognitive Loop Earcuff
FUNCTIONS
Inside the Device
What it does?
01
Physiological sensing
Pulse patterns and, where hardware allows, skin temperature or electrodermal activity — measured relative to the user’s baseline.
02
Personal baseline calibration
Learns typical patterns over time to separate unusual, sustained changes from normal fluctuations.
03
Discreet haptic feedback
A subtle vibration cue when a sustained pattern is estimated (requires an integrated actuator).
04
Connected data transmission
Sends selected sensor data to the app, where it is combined with behavioural context and optional user feedback.
How it works
A quiet sensor on your ear that only speaks up when a pattern lasts.
01
Worn on the ear
The cuff hugs the ear’s cartilage — no piercing. Its inner sensor module rests against the skin, where blood flow is strong and motion is low.
03
Sends signals, not stories
Processed features like HRV changes and sweat response are sent to the app via Bluetooth. It analyzes these signals to identify patterns linked to repetitive thinking.
02
Senses continuously
It tracks signals like HRV, skin temperature, and sweat response, compared to your baseline to estimate changes in Cognitive Loop Intensity.
04
Taps when it matters
If a loop is sustained, a tiny vibration gives a discreet cue. Two magnetic contacts charge it in its case.
NOTE
The earcuff never reads what you are thinking. It senses the pattern of thinking — progressing or circling — from body and neural signals, and the app estimates the likelihood of a loop.
Polished Finish
Sensor Module
PPG sensor
Skin temperature sensor
EDA Sensor
EEG Sensor
Inertial sensor
Haptic Feedback
Light weight and comfortable for all day wear.
A combination of miniature sensors capture physiological signals related to stress & focus.
Tracks heart rate (HRV)
& blood flow.
Monitors changes in body temperature.
Measures electrodermal activity (sweat).
Analyzes brain signals & thought-pattern tracking.
Detects subtle movement & body activities.
Mild vibration
Adjustable fit for different ear shapes
Ergonomic Design
Initial Ideation
Product intro · Mobile app
MindLoop
Where the product becomes meaningful — translating signals into a visual the user understands, and offering moments for conscious intervention.
Features of MindLoop
Low-fidelity wireframes
Gentle nudge
Lock-screen notification + earcuff haptic tap.
Thought check-in
Is this productive thinking or a loop? Adds context.
Loop-breaking toolkit
One recommended action + other small tools.
My patterns
When and where loops happen, and what helped.
Home — Live meter
The overthinking meter: state, intensity, signals.
Colour Palette
Warm Ivory
#F8EEE8
Primary background for a calm and open feel.
Blush Pink
#F6DCD9
Soft surfaces and secondary backgrounds.
Rose Mist
#F5C4C7
Cards, containers and subtle emphasis.
Coral
#E86F55
Primary actions, key interactions and highlights.
Peach
#EFA28F
Accent elements, icons and gradient highlights.
Sage
#C7D0B7
Calm states, success indicators and balance.
Lavender
#C8B8D9
Ambient gradients, visualisations and contemplative moments.
Deep Charcoal
#302622
Text, icons and high contrast elements.
White
#FFFFFF
Input fields, cards and clean surfaces.
GRADIENTS
Blush Gradient
#F8EEE8 → #F5C4C7
Used in backgrounds and splash screens.
Peach Gradient
#F6DCD9 → #EFA28F
Used for active states and highlights.
Lavender Gradient
#F5C4C7 → #C8B8D9
Used for visualisations and decorative elements.
ACCENT COLOURS (FUNCTIONAL)
Success
#A7C4A2
Positive states and progress.
Warning
#F6C46B
Gentle alerts and reminders.
Alert
#F47B7B
Important alerts and emphasis.
A warm, muted palette can make the experience feel approachable and non-judgemental, while a cooler, more neutral base keeps the data visualisation legible and grounded.
The key is to use these colours to communicate self-awareness, warmth and emotional reflection, rather than making the interface feel like an app that is constantly warning users about their mental state.
MAIN NAVIGATION
Loop Intensity Dashboard
Displays the current loop intensity score, sensor indicators, and estimated duration of repetitive thinking.
MAIN NAVIGATION
Pattern Insights
Visualises weekly trends, time spent in loops, and recurring triggers to help users recognise patterns.
MAIN NAVIGATION
Guided Breaks
Suggests short, personalised activities to help users interrupt repetitive thought patterns and redirect their attention.
Thought Check-in
Helps users assess whether their current thinking is productive or repetitive and identify the context behind it.
Thought Externalisation
Lets users express their thoughts aloud through a guided voice interaction to make recurring thoughts easier to examine.
Reflection and Reframing
Encourages users to revisit their initial thoughts after an intervention and reflect on whether their perspective has changed.
Outcome Reflection
Compares before-and-after reflections to help users understand whether an activity changed how they perceive a situation.
CHECK - IN
REFLECTIONS
Moving · 0–29
No nudge. The meter simply reflects calm progress.
Slowing · 30–54
Silent. Visible only if you open the app.
Repeating · 55–79
Gentle nudge if it lasts 15+ min.
Looping · 80–100
Haptic tap + invitation to check in.
Overthinking Meter
Different Line/loop States
Technology survey
What already exists in related fields
A survey of wearables, neurotech, digital phenotyping and mental-wellbeing apps — what each can sense, and where the gap is.
The gap
Every product measures a state — stress, focus, mood. None combine body signals, behaviour and self-report to show whether thinking is moving forward or going in circles.
Feasibility report
Can this be built with the current technology?
Each part of the system rated on technical readiness, with risks and how to reduce them.
Verdict
The prototype is feasible with existing sensing technologies; interpreting those signals as patterns of repetitive thinking remains the research question.
The prototype is feasible with existing sensing technologies; interpreting those signals as patterns of repetitive thinking remains the research question.
Future scope
Where the Cognitive Loop Meter could go next
LEARNING OUTCOMES
What this project taught me
01
Designing for invisible phenomena
02
Data is not meaning
03
Reading research critically
04
Feasibility thinking
05
Ethics of mental-state sensing
06
Speculative design as inquiry
References
Brosschot, J. F., Gerin, W., & Thayer, J. F. (2006). The perseverative cognition hypothesis. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 60(2), 113–124.
Cavanagh, J. F., & Frank, M. J. (2014). Frontal theta as a mechanism for cognitive control. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 18(8), 414–421.
Ehring, T., & Watkins, E. R. (2008). Repetitive negative thinking as a transdiagnostic process. International Journal of Cognitive Therapy, 1(3), 192–205.
Hitchcock, P. F., & Frank, M. J. (2024). From tripping and falling to ruminating and worrying: A meta-control account of repetitive negative thinking. Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences, 56, 101356. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11314892
Insel, T. R. (2017). Digital phenotyping: Technology for a new science of behavior. JAMA, 318(13), 1215–1216.
Killingsworth, M. A., & Gilbert, D. T. (2010). A wandering mind is an unhappy mind. Science, 330(6006), 932.
Nolen-Hoeksema, S. (1991). Responses to depression and their effects on the duration of depressive episodes. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 100(4), 569–582.
Nolen-Hoeksema, S. (2003). Women Who Think Too Much: How to Break Free of Overthinking and Reclaim Your Life. Henry Holt.
Ottaviani, C., Thayer, J. F., Verkuil, B., et al. (2016). Physiological concomitants of perseverative cognition: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 142(3), 231–259. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26689087
Thayer, J. F., & Lane, R. D. (2000). A model of neurovisceral integration in emotion regulation and dysregulation. Journal of Affective Disorders, 61(3), 201–216.
Watkins, E. R. (2008). Constructive and unconstructive repetitive thought. Psychological Bulletin, 134(2), 163–206.
This speculative project envisions a wearable earcuff and app to identify patterns of negative thinking.
It aims to enhance self-awareness but does not read thoughts. The proposed technology and metrics are conceptual and need further research and validation.
Please Note