Problem
Since the pandemic, sedentary behaviour has risen sharply at home. Prolonged sitting carries serious long-term health risks, yet most existing solutions target the workplace.
Case Study
SoleMate
A wearable and app to reduce sedentary behaviour at home
01
Overview
Submitted to CHI 2025 Student Design Competition, this project aimed to reduce sedentary behaviour at home. I led a group of 5 to conduct user research, synthesise user needs, ideate solutions and present our final product SoleMate to researchers. The paper was published in 2025.
02
Problem, Outcome & Procedure
Outcome
We conceptualised SoleMate, a wearable slipper paired with a companion app that detects sedentary behaviour and gently nudges users to move.
Procedure
We followed a user-centred process: identify problems, understand users, ideate, prototype, and test. The final product was iterated to better meet user needs.
03
Understand Our Users
We conducted:
5
semi-structured interviews
56
questionnaire responses
5
competitors analysed (diary study)
User needs
Education about the long-term harms of sedentary behaviour
Many people underestimate how prolonged sitting harms long-term health, so clear, digestible education is key to motivating change.
Intervention without disruption
Nudges should blend into daily life at home rather than interrupt or annoy the user.
Engaging reminders
Reminders need to feel friendly and rewarding so people act on them instead of dismissing them.
Access to accurate, personal data
Users want reliable, personal data on their sitting patterns to understand and trust their progress.
04
Ideation & Prototyping
We balanced effectiveness with seamless integration into daily life. As team lead, I drove feature decisions through group brainstorming, then evaluated low-fidelity concepts before committing to a direction.
05
User Testing
To test whether our core features satisfy users' needs, I designed a Wizard-of-Oz and A/B test. We compared different types of reminders, tested the effect of the avatar in education, and explored users' opinions on using slippers to detect sedentary behaviour.
Reminders
Avatar-led VS standard push
What we tested
We compared avatar-led reminders against standard push notifications.
What we found
Users found avatar-led reminders more engaging and easier to act on.
Avatar
With avatar VS without
What we tested
We compared the experience with the avatar against without it.
What we found
The avatar built emotional connection and improved follow-through.
Meet SoleMate
SoleMate is an app paired with a smart slipper. Together they detect sedentary behaviour, interrupt long sitting sessions, and help users build healthier habits at home.
06
Key Features & Rationale
Feature 1 - Slippers
Why this feature?
Participants were reluctant to wear additional devices at home because they required extra effort and disrupted existing routines.
Our Approach
Instead of introducing another wearable, we transformed slippers into passive posture detectors. We prioritised seamless adoption over sensing sophistication.
Expected Benefit
SoleMate lowers adoption barriers while enabling effortless behaviour tracking.
Feature 2 - Avatar
Why this feature?
Participants viewed conventional reminders as repetitive and easy to ignore, reducing long-term engagement.
Our Approach
We introduced a customisable avatar to deliver reminders and educational content, prioritising long-term engagement over implementation simplicity.
Expected Benefit
The avatar creates a more engaging experience that helps sustain motivation over time.
Feature 3 - Smart Reminders
Why this feature?
Generic reminders often interrupt users without providing meaningful support, making them easy to dismiss.
Our Approach
Rather than increasing reminder frequency, we focused on delivering context-aware guidance. We prioritised relevance over frequency.
Expected Benefit
Timely, actionable guidance reduces disruption and lowers the effort required to change behaviour.
Feature 4 - Daily Education
Why this feature?
Long-term behaviour change requires not only reminders but also a deeper understanding of why change is important.
Our Approach
We incorporated lightweight daily quizzes to support awareness, confidence, and self-efficacy.
Expected Benefit
Continuous learning helps users build awareness and motivation to maintain healthier habits.
Feature 5 - Data Visualisation
Why this feature?
Participants found it difficult to recognise gradual improvements in their behaviour without clear feedback.
Our Approach
We focused on simple progress visualisation rather than advanced analytics, prioritising clarity over detailed reporting.
Expected Benefit
Clear progress tracking reinforces positive behaviour and encourages users to maintain healthier routines.
07
Reflection
Define context early
SoleMate focuses on home scenarios and prioritises seamless integration into daily routines. Setting the usage context early helped align the product with users' behavioural patterns.
Cross-functional teams teach you fast
Collaboration is not only working together but also learning from each other's strengths and weaknesses.
Let user testing drive iteration
Direct user feedback is essential in shaping meaningful iterations. Balancing design thinking and real experience contributed to a stronger product.
Let's work together
Always happy to chat about research, design, or a good mystery.