Interaction - Bachelor
Cuddle Buddy is an interactive teddy bear designed to support emotional connection & regulation in long-distance relationships. It bridges the gap between physical and digital connection, offering warmth, reassurance, and emotional balance to users who seek closeness despite distance.
“When we hug, our hearts connect and we know that we are not separate beings.”
Thich Nhat Hanh
• When hugged, the bear emits a gentle heartbeat using an internal vibration motor, simulating the feeling of holding someone close. This rhythmic pulse helps calm the user and regulate emotions through grounding and sensory comfort.
• A small speaker embedded in the bear plays recorded voice messages sent by a loved one, creating a personal and emotionally resonant experience.
Looking back at the final prototype of Cuddle Buddy, I believe that the project was successfully captured the core idea of creating an emotionally supportive interactive object that can be used to enhance emotional connection in long-distance relationships. Although the working model only supports audio messages at short distances, it would be interesting to see how I could further develop it into making it fully functional for user pairs living in different cities/countries. Overall, this project strengthened my ability to problem-solve creatively and adapt to technical challenges whilst also designing with both emotional and practical considerations in mind. I strongly think there is several areas available for improvement especially is making the prototype technically efficient but for the time being I’m proud of the working prototype so far.
Subiksha is a UX/UI designer, currently working as a marketing manager for an art gallery in Brisbane. With a double degree in Information Technology and Interaction Design, she brings a rare balance of creative thinking and technical precision to every project. Known for her innovative mindset and eye for detail, she transforms complex ideas into elegant, impactful experiences that leave a lasting impression on users.