HeartBit : mindful control of heart rate using haptic biofeedback

Abstract

The following thesis lies where mindfulness and technology meet, in particular, in the design, implementation, and testing of HeartBit. HeartBit is a device designed for haptic heart rate biofeedback. A handheld heart beats alongside your own, mirroring the size, weight, and movement of a hidden internal organ, now external and tangible, in real-time. HeartBit offers a medium for users to self-regulate in moments of stress, anxiety, or exertion: Control your heart to control your breath and body--for relaxation, performance enhancement, or augmented self-awareness. In partnership between the MIT Media Lab and the Ellen Langer Mindfulness Lab at Harvard, HeartBit has been tested under two scenarios. First, showing how people can learn to voluntarily control their heart rate using mindfulness, assisted by portable technology to accelerate the learning process. Second, showing how empathy towards unlike-minded individuals can be increased simply by feeling someone else's heartbeat in the palm of one's hand.