Industrial - Bachelors
Solace is a light designed for mothers and newborns to promote quality of sleep via two detachable and portable connected lights. The lights fade to dark in sync, linking the circadian rhythms of the mother and baby, and help to create a calming, comforting night-time routine during the perinatal period.
The perinatal period spans from conception to one year after birth.
One in five women and one in 10 men experience perinatal anxiety or depression, with sleep challenges often intensifying stress. Sleep disruptions, including perinatal insomnia, affect one in two pregnancies.
Getting enough sleep is important for good mental health and wellbeing, and a lack of sleep can cause physical and emotional fatigue, relationship strain and challenges in bonding with a baby.
My primary research consisted of a survey and four in-depth interviews with mothers aged between 34 and 65.
My research found that 70% of mothers had poor or very poor sleep postpartum. Sleep was what parents wanted most during the perinatal period, one respondent said: “I probably had insomnia for most of the pregnancy.”
Stress was also a common concern for mothers as they often found it challenging to relax and switch off. One interview subject said: “Feeling overwhelmed was a big trigger for distress.”
Stress and disrupted sleep were the two main pain points for women during this time.
View the full research report below.
Solace addresses the primary challenges identified in my research: reducing stress and improving sleep quality for new mothers.
Solace is a calming light designed to support mothers and newborns by promoting relaxation, enhancing sleep quality and reducing stress. It consists of two interconnected, portable modules – one that can be positioned near the mother and one by the baby’s crib. The primary function, Sleep Mode, gently fades both lights to dark in unison, aiming to link the mother and baby’s circadian rhythms. This helps to address perinatal sleep issues, such as onset insomnia, while encouraging a soothing night-time routine.
To further reduce stress, Solace offers Breathe Mode, which fades the light in and out to guide the mother’s breathing, promoting calm and reducing anxiety. The top module also includes a motion sensor for a Monitoring Function that reflects the baby’s movements subtly on the mother’s light, providing real-time feedback.
Below is a storyboard demonstrating the use of Solace.
Sleep Mode [tap three times]: lights fade to dark in sync to link circadian rhythms and improve sleep quality.
Breathe Mode [handheld on top]: light fades in and out to guide calming breathing exercises.
Monitoring Function [modules tapped together]: light subtly reflects the baby’s activity.
Solace is touch-activated, dimmable, detachable, and charges wirelessly via a base dock. It enhances relaxation, fosters connection, and supports improved wellbeing during the perinatal period.
1. Increased sleep = improved wellbeing
By synchronising mother and baby’s sleep cycles, Solace promotes better sleep, leading to reduced stress and improved mental health for new parents.
2. Seamless design
Solace’s organic, non-intrusive form integrates seamlessly into any space, blending function and elegance without appearing as a typical baby product.
3. Future applications of Solace
Solace’s calming effects can extend beyond infancy, supporting toddlers with separation anxiety and aiding in transitions to greater nighttime independence.
The exploded view shows the internal components of the light. The touch sensors allow for gesture control for the lights functions of the light. There is a mmwave radar in the top module for human presence detection for the monitoring function. There is an induction coil at the top of the base light for wireless charging to the top light. One PCB board has been designed for all parts to reduce production runs and increase cost efficiency. The light was designed with minimal components and put together using screws to be easily disassembled for repair and part replacement.
Ivy is a creative thinker and a driven designer. She blends marketing, business and visual communication skills with innovation and creativity. Ivy utilises systems thinking and human-centred design thinking to deliver well-considered, impactful designs and brand experiences.