Prana- Designing a mobile app for Pranayama (breathing Practice), offering real-time breath & posture feedback
AI-powered solution helping users master pranayama through guided, interactive practice.
Role
User Interface Design, User Experience Design
Team
Narae, Zelin, Xiaoyu, Yuilak
Duration
Jan - April 2025
Discover Stage
Understanding the Need
Stress and anxiety affect millions globally, yet effective and accessible self-regulation tools are still lacking. Ancient practices like Pranayama offer immense mental and physical benefits, but existing digital resources like YouTube videos or static apps lack interactivity, personalization, and feedback.
Our goal was to create a solution that blends ancient wisdom with modern UX principles one that actively helps users learn and practice breathwork in a scientific, guided, and sensory way.
Define Stage
Synthesising Insights
Through user interviews and secondary research, we discovered these pain points:
Beginners struggle to judge whether they’re doing it right
Users want customization, feedback, and motivation
Passive video tutorials don’t support correct rhythm or posture
How might we help users learn and sustain effective Pranayama practice
Develop Stage
Concept & Design Strategy
The Prana app uses a blend of real-time posture detection (via phone camera) and breath monitoring (via microphone) to guide users through various Pranayama techniques. It offers both guided learning and custom practice paths.
Wireframes
Pranayama Types and Visual Representation Choices
There are many types of Pranayama, each with distinct breathing patterns and techniques. However, considering the limited timeframe of this project, we focused our design and prototyping efforts on two representative types: Kapal bhati Pranayama and Bhastrika Pranayama.
These two techniques were intentionally chosen because they differ significantly in how inhalation and exhalation are emphasized, which directly influenced how we approached their visual representation.
Literature & Competitive Analysis- Key gap identified
We conducted a review of: Scientific literature on the benefits of breath regulation, Visualization methods used in apps (wave, pie chart, etc.), Competitor platforms like Breathwrk and YouTube tutorials
Lack of real-time feedback
Poor visualization of the entire breath cycle
No personalized guidance based on skill level or intent
Testing & Evaluation
We ran usability tests with 5 participants. Each was asked to: Navigate the app, Complete a guided session, and Review their post-practice feedback
Core Features
Real-time breath and posture feedback
Interactive wave and petal-based visualizations
Session scoring & feedback with improvement tips
Custom practice plans based on user goals & experience
Positives
Users appreciated real-time feedback
Appreciated the background music, felt cam
Interface was clear and motivating
Visualizations were helpful in maintaining rhythm
Improvement Areas
Device calibration instructions were unclear
Introductory videos were too long for repeat users
Some users lacked confidence during their first attempt
Visual representation:
Each petal fills with every exhalation, helping users track progress along with real-time audio guidance for rhythm & posture.
kapal Bhati Pranayama Practice session
Bhastrika Pranayama Practice session
Visual representation:
The animation reflects the current breath state and is supported by real-time audio cues to help users stay in sync.
End or Pause sessions:
Users can pause or end the session anytime, allowing flexibility based on comfort and breathing capacity.
What I learned… 💭
Overall, the results validated our core concept: that a multi-sensory, interactive
approach can significantly enhance the learning and practice of Pranayama. Prana
demonstrates strong potential to empower users in building sustainable, mindful breathing
habits for emotional and physical well-being.
Portfolio by AARTI SAPKAL
UX UI Designer
Deliver Stage
Watch Video on:
How Prana helps users build healthier breathing habits with real-time audio feedback and calming visuals.