Hold & Release.

What if technology could feel the weight of a moment before letting it go? Hold & Release is a physical–digital journaling ritual that explores emotional expression through embodied interaction.

Physical Computing

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Sensor-Based Interaction

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p5.js

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Arduino

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Emotional UX

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Interaction Prototyping

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System Design

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Scope

Tangible Interaction

Role

Concept / Interaction / Visual / Motion Designer (Solo)

Duration

2 weeks

Year

2025

Problem

(01)

Expressing Emotion Is Hard

Digital journaling is often reduced to tapping on glass—a flat, detached experience. I wanted to design an interface that recognizes the physicality of emotion. Hold & Release is a hybrid object that allows users to physically "squeeze" their stress into the system and watch it dissolve.

Solution

(02)

Embodied Interaction as Expression

The experience bridges a digital prompt with a physical trigger.

Write: The user types a thought or feeling they are holding onto.
Hold: They squeeze the physical device. A flex sensor detects the pressure. On screen, the text begins to tremble and distort, mirroring the physical tension.
Release: As the user physically lets go, the digital text shatters into particles and drifts away, providing a moment of visual and somatic catharsis.

The experience bridges a digital prompt with a physical trigger.

Write: The user types a thought or feeling they are holding onto.
Hold: They squeeze the physical device. A flex sensor detects the pressure. On screen, the text begins to tremble and distort, mirroring the physical tension.
Release: As the user physically lets go, the digital text shatters into particles and drifts away, providing a moment of visual and somatic catharsis.

1. Begin by writing what you hold inside.

2. Hold the sensor : Feel the tension build

3. Let go : Watch the moment scatter

Demo

(04)

Turning touch into emotional expression

Hardware: Arduino + Flex Sensor (embedded in a soft, tactile casing).
Software: [Processing / p5.js] for real-time typography manipulation.
Data Mapping: I mapped the analog sensor values to the "jitter" and "opacity" parameters of the text, creating a direct feedback loop between hand pressure and visual chaos.

Hardware: Arduino + Flex Sensor (embedded in a soft, tactile casing).
Software: [Processing / p5.js] for real-time typography manipulation.
Data Mapping: I mapped the analog sensor values to the "jitter" and "opacity" parameters of the text, creating a direct feedback loop between hand pressure and visual chaos.

Reflection

(05)

Why It Matters

his project explores Embodied Interaction—using the body's natural language (tension and release) to drive digital experiences. It moves beyond "clicking" to "feeling," proving that technology can support emotional regulation if we design for the senses, not just the screen.

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