Wearable Product Design

Nervana

A stress-management wearable concept designed for women with PCOS who lead busy, high-stress lives. Nervana offers real-time, personalized vagus nerve stimulation through a customized ear wearable paired with an app-connected experience.

TypeWearable Product Concept

FocusPCOS Stress Management

ToolsRhino, KeyShot, Adobe Suite

OutputWearable, App Concept, Renders

What is PCOS?

PCOS stands for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. It is a common hormonal disorder that affects women of reproductive age.

PCOS is characterized through hormonal imbalances, such as high levels of androgens, and ovarian changes such as small cysts on the ovaries and an irregular menstruation cycle.

Common symptoms include irregular or absent menstrual periods, excess hair growth, acne, weight gain, infertility, and increased risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

PCOS is a chronic condition with no cure, but symptoms can be managed through lifestyle changes such as healthy eating, exercise, and especially stress reduction.

Process

Research

Research focused on the relationship between stress, cortisol levels, hormonal imbalance, and worsened PCOS symptoms. The project also explored the vagus nerve as a stress-management pathway.

Problem Statement

Women with PCOS often face high levels of daily stress, which raises cortisol and disrupts hormonal balance — worsening symptoms like fatigue, weight gain, and irregular cycles.

Design Opportunity

The design intent was to create a device that reduces stress levels to help women manage their PCOS symptoms and regain control over their health.

Concept Development

Nervana was developed as a compact, lightweight vagus nerve stimulator that monitors heart rate to track stress levels live and provides stimulation when needed.

Solution

Nervana offers a holistic approach to stress management by delivering real-time, personalized vagus nerve stimulation through a customized ear wearable when heart rate exceeds 100 bpm.

Ideation

Initial sketches translated the core idea into form, exploring possible wearable placements, ear-based contact points, and visual directions that shaped the final device.

Prototypes

Prototypes evaluated proportions, comfort, function, and user experience before finalizing the shape.

App Development

The app includes live heart-rate monitoring, device activity, device battery, daily activity goals, menstruation tracking, day planning, daily notes, and stimulation recommendations.

Final Product

The design includes a cuff for stability, flexible ABS and fluoroelastomer material, a silicone electrode for comfort, a lithium-ion battery, a magnetic charging port, and a silicone-based adhesive.

Final Outcome

The final outcome combines a discreet ear-worn stimulation device, a heart-rate sensing component, and an app experience into one connected PCOS stress-management concept.

Nervana supports stress awareness and symptom management by connecting physical design, personalized stimulation, and daily wellness tracking into a soft, wearable product experience.

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