This project brings together my interests in garment design, inclusive design, and medical technology. Breathing New Energy is a dual-modality wearable created to support people with long COVID by promoting breath awareness and relaxation. The garment can be worn both as a shirt and a scarf, monitoring the user’s breathing at rest. When rapid or chest-dominant breathing is detected, it provides gentle haptic feedback to guide the user through abdominal breathing exercises, calming the nervous system and restoring energy. Integrated LED lights visualize the breathing rhythm(biofeedback), and the scarf modality offers added protection from sensory overstimulation. Developed through user interviews, expert insights, and material exploration, the project embodies my vision of using design to support underrepresented groups through comforting and functional technical wearable solutions.
The project was received very positively during Demoday, the public presentation event at the university where all Industrial Design projects are showcased. Through Demoday, the project gained wider visibility, and I was honoured to present it at two additional inspiring events: first at the UbiComp/ISWC Conference 2025 in Finland, and later at Dutch Design Week 2025 in Eindhoven.
UbiComp/ISWC Conference at Aatlo University - Espoo, Finland
I presented at the conference's Design Exhibition. I met researchers and designers working at the intersection of wearable computing, textiles, and medical design. I’m deeply honored to have received one of the three Best Design Exhibition Awards!
I presented at the conference's Design Exhibition. I met researchers and designers working at the intersection of wearable computing, textiles, and medical design. I’m deeply honored to have received one of the three Best Design Exhibition Awards!
You can read more about this project in the journal publication:
Janneke van der Meiden. 2026. Breathing New Energy: A Garment Offering Comfort and Haptic Breathing Guidance to Regain Breath Control and Energy. In Companion of the 2025 ACM International Joint Conference on Pervasive and Ubiquitous Computing (UbiComp Companion '25). Association for Computing Machinery, New York, NY, USA, 514–518. https://doi.org/10.1145/3714394.3750711
Dutch Design Week 2025 – Eindhoven
Shortly after, I exhibited at Dutch Design Week as part of the Manifestations exhibition at Veemgebouw. The week was full of inspiring conversations, valuable feedback, and new ideas for the next steps of my project. It was the perfect opportunity to share the project and bring awareness for long COVID to a broad and interested audience.
The project and prototypes I presented explore the development of a garment that guides calm abdominal breathing for people with long COVID. It aims to raise awareness for this often-overlooked group and inspire fellow researchers and designers. I’m excited to keep exploring how textiles and technology can merge to bring comfort and connection to inclusive medical design.
Shortly after, I exhibited at Dutch Design Week as part of the Manifestations exhibition at Veemgebouw. The week was full of inspiring conversations, valuable feedback, and new ideas for the next steps of my project. It was the perfect opportunity to share the project and bring awareness for long COVID to a broad and interested audience.
The project and prototypes I presented explore the development of a garment that guides calm abdominal breathing for people with long COVID. It aims to raise awareness for this often-overlooked group and inspire fellow researchers and designers. I’m excited to keep exploring how textiles and technology can merge to bring comfort and connection to inclusive medical design.
