conch-shaped device uses interactive breathing to ease anxiety in kids with sleep apnea

"Created for children aged four to thirteen diagnosed with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), the project, presented during Milan Design Week 2026, addresses the fear and anxiety often associated with procedures such as nasal endoscopy, transforming the waiting period before examination into a moment of calm, agency, and creative engagement."

"At the center of Oneiro, meaning 'dream' in Greek, is an interactive device shaped like a conch shell. Before their examination, children blow into a disposable mouthpiece and watch their breath transform into calming digital visuals that slowly evolve on screen in real time."

"Instead of sitting anxiously in a waiting room, they become active participants in the experience, using their own breathing to create peaceful virtual landscapes. The contact-free interaction is simple, hygienic, and easy to integrate into hospital environments while helping reduce stress before treatment."

"Conceived as an early prototype for the AI companion hospital of 2050, the system explores how emotional care might become embedded within future clinical environments."

Oneiro is an affective healthcare design for children aged four to thirteen diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea. The system targets fear and anxiety linked to procedures such as nasal endoscopy by transforming the waiting period into calm, agency, and creative engagement. An interactive conch-shell-shaped device uses a disposable mouthpiece where children blow and watch their breath become evolving digital visuals in real time. The contact-free interaction is designed to be simple, hygienic, and easy to integrate into hospital environments. The project functions as an early prototype for an AI companion hospital concept, embedding emotional care into future clinical settings.

Read at designboom | architecture & design magazine