Login made gentle: A welcoming entry point designed for ease and focus.
Onda Calma is an adaptive mental wellness app that truly personalizes the user experience, ensuring that mindfulness and well-being practices are not just available but genuinely aligned with each user’s needs and environment.
Sector: Mental Health & Wellness
Duration: 1 year
Team: Audrey Lingstuyl, Michael Urrea
Collaborators: Adriana Romero (Glass Half Full Effect), Machine Media Group
Credits: Selected illustrations in the mockups by Andrei Castanha. Emotional mapping inspired by the Atlas of Emotions, developed by Paul Ekman and commissioned by the Dalai Lama.
Rooted in the principles of attention management, sensory design, and thoughtful friction, Onda Calma reimagines the way we engage with digital well-being.
A LIVING SYSTEM
Onda Calma is an app that listens, adapts, and gently guides. Designed to harmonize with the rhythms of daily life, it responds to contextual cues—like time of day, movement, sound, and personal intention—to suggest precisely what the user needs in the moment.
Rather than overwhelming users with choices, it invites slowness, fostering a sense of presence rather than passive consumption.
Each interaction is an opportunity to pause. To check in. To reconnect.
Drawing inspiration from the Atlas of Emotions—a framework commissioned by the Dalai Lama to help people better understand their emotional landscape—Onda Calma maps triggers, responses, and strategies to support emotional self-regulation through subtle, context-aware guidance.
Whether it’s a breathing exercise attuned to your heart rate, a soundscape that mirrors your environment, or a gentle nudge toward stillness, Onda Calma is designed not to capture attention, but to release it.
Minimal navigation: Fewer choices, personalized flow, freedom from overwhelm.
adaptive mental wellness
Location-Aware Features
If a user is in a noisy environment, the platform suggests noise-canceling breathing exercises or visual grounding techniques.
Circadian & Weather Sensitivity
The interface adjusts prompts based on time of day, temperature, or local weather, suggesting a sunlight-based mindfulness exercise in the morning or a warmth-focused meditation on a cold day.
Encouraging Disconnection
Instead of keeping users glued to their devices, the system suggests tech-free activities, like a brief outdoor walk, based on their stress levels.
Contextual Inputs & Suggestions
- Time of day → Morning energizing rituals, nighttime wind-down routines.
- Weather → Rainy day? A cozy, introspective practice. Sunny? Encourage outdoor mindfulness.
- Noise levels → In a busy area? Suggest grounding techniques or subtle vibration-based breathing guidance.
- User Mood Check-in → User reports stress? The app suggests calming breathwork. Low energy? Gentle movement exercises.
- Screen Fatigue Detection → If the app senses excessive screen time, it recommends a break and provides an audio-guided practice instead.
Onda Calma incorporates a smart system that adapts to the user’s surroundings.
Thoughtful check-in: A simple process to assess your current state.
Thoughtful Friction
Opening Ritual
Instead of diving straight into content, the app asks, “How do you feel right now?” so users can asses their own emotional state.
Slow Navigation
Content is revealed gradually. Practices are not instantly scrollable like social media but require a tap to confirm “Yes, I want to do this right now.”
Reflection-Based Unlocking
Some features only unlock after a small reflection prompt, such as “Take a deep breath.”
Rather than an instant, on-demand experience, Onda Calma introduces slight friction to ensure users engage intentionally.
Smart adaptation: The system responds to your environment and suggests what fits best.
Personalized activities: Recommendations grounded in your needs and context.
Notification Personalization
Instead of default notifications, users can set their own wellness rhythms and receive context-sensitive nudges instead of generic pings.
Onda Calma allows users full control over how and when they receive guidance.
Wellness rhythms: Replace default alerts with self-defined, supportive nudges.
Notification Personalization
Instead of default notifications, users can set their own wellness rhythms and receive context-sensitive nudges instead of generic pings.
Onda Calma allows users full control over how and when they receive guidance.
With thoughtful friction, context-aware adaptation, and deep personalization, Onda Calma offers a new paradigm for digital well-being—one that supports users in reclaiming their attention, fostering a deeper sense of presence, and integrating mindfulness seamlessly into everyday life.
Calm by design: A dark, quiet interface with limited decisions and no notification noise.