MOODsic : A Computational-Musical Augmentation to Support Mindfulness

In this paper, we describe MOODsic, a computational artifact aimed at supporting mindfulness in emotion regulation practices. MOODsic can be attached to any object the user uses in their usual emotional regulation practices (e.g. a yoga roll), and leverages a combination of electronics and machine learning to respond to the user’s actions with that object with music and sound stimuli. Here we offer a detailed description of the design and development of MOODsic, including: its functionalities and technical specifications, the design process behind it, and a contextualization with previous works at the intersection of HCI and mindful practices. Our contribution offers a series of design and experiential qualities that might inspire other designs in this space.