My Role
Led the project through the complete design and development lifecycle, from research and strategy to hardware prototyping and team management.
Personal Connection
Aura was inspired by my cousin, who lived undiagnosed with high-functioning autism and ADHD for the first 24 years of her life in India.
Growing up, she masked her behaviors due to social stigma and fear of judgment. Like many women on the spectrum, she was misdiagnosed with anxiety and depression. When she moved to the U.S. for college, she struggled to adapt to new social environments and professional expectations, often without understanding what went wrong.
Getting help was difficult—out-of-pocket costs for adult autism evaluations can reach several thousand dollars, and some individuals wait multiple years due to a lack of specialists and inadequate insurance coverage. These barriers delayed her diagnosis and left her navigating anxiety, confusion, and impulsive behaviors alone. Over time, she built coping mechanisms through painful trial and error, but she missed out on years of support and connection.
Aura was created to change that reality!!
Challenges
75 %
of adults with autism are unemployed due to communication challenges
Less than 20%
adults know they have ADHD and it affects 366 million adults world wide
1 in 4
are socially isolated, with significantly higher risks of depression and suicide.
60% -70%
of ADHD cases in girls may be missed or misdiagnosed, largely due to gendered differences in symptom presentation and diagnostic bias
Adults with both ADHD and Autism have some overlapping conditions which makes their life quite complicated.
They struggle with ....
Hard to understand what others are thinking or feeling
Get anxious in social situations
Hard to make new friends
Might seem blunt, rude or not interested in others without meaning to
Get overwhelmed with certain sounds and strong smells, affecting socializing
User Research
We started with in-depth user research: interviewing Gen Z individuals in high school, college students and working professionals, between ages (16-30) who identified as autistic or have diagnosed or undiagnosed ADHD. We also attended group neurodiverse coaching sessions at NYU, collaborated with therapists, and conducted “day in the life” observations to better understand daily challenges and touchpoints.
30+
User Interviews
150+
Sources for Market Research
20+
Usability Tests
Key Learning
A lack of appropriate support during the formative years—due to misdiagnosis, undiagnosed conditions, or cultural barriers—can significantly affect an individual’s mental health, physical health, and relationships. These early years, particularly in school and college, are critical for developing the interpersonal and emotional skills that shape adult life. Without these skills, young people may face challenges in their early careers, increased feelings of loneliness and social isolation, and a higher risk of substance abuse, depression, and anxiety.
It is therefore essential to equip young adults (ages 15–28) with strong social and soft skills as they navigate pivotal life transitions such as college, career entry, and building new relationships—stages that demand resilience, emotional intelligence, and effective communication for long-term success.
How might we provide tools and strategies that help young adults with high-functioning autism and ADHD be self-aware, navigate social situations with confidence, reduce distress, miscommunication, isolation, and instead strengthen relationships and improve mental wellbeing?
Ecosystem of Products
Aura is not just a tool—it’s a real-time behavioral coach designed for the unpredictability of everyday life. Unlike therapy, chatbot apps, or scenario-based social training games that rely on reflection or repetition, Aura supports users in the moment, when guidance is most needed allowing them to adapt and learn during real interactions.
Features
Haptic Tactile Smart Wearable
The wearable synchronizes to function as an ecosystem with the Brain Computer Interface Augmented Reality Glasses, enabling the user to use hand gestures to activate a feature and obtain the necessary information via Augmented reality while on the go.
Features
Environmental noise cancelling in real time
01
Scenario: Individual in a client meeting with colleagues in a loud crowded coffee shop, unable to follow through a conversation due to cafe noise
Sound
Being able to manage ambient noise and background music at a volume that suits each person and feeling more in command of adjusting the environment to suit their needs. This allows one to be involved yet still be able to hear co-workers, friends, and family more clearly.
Smell
Ability to reduce or eliminate odors in the environment that overwhelm or unnerve them.
02
Promotes Deeper Connections and Improved Communication
In addition to offering questions and advice on how to handle the situation and improve communication, the system assists these people in identifying those behaviors and actions in real-time, enabling them to maintain their authenticity and build lasting relationships.
Scenario: An Individual in a professional meeting with PI and a colleague, has trouble with communication and acts impulsively affecting them in a given moment.
Recognition of Social Cues
Real-time recognition of social cues & suggestions for suitable responses in various situations
Gesture activates the feature on the go
When the feature activates the wearable subtly vibrates and the face of the watch changes to a different tactile pattern giving feedback to the user of the feature being activated without it being distracting
Assist with managing Impulsivity
Assists users in real-time analysis of their actions and speech in a particular scenario, enabling them to learn and adjust as necessary.Additionally, the system assists users in providing a recap of the conversation if they become distracted and offers advice on how to react appropriately and manage tense circumstances.
Gesture activates the feature on the go
Helps with Vocabulary and Remembering
The system assists users by giving real-time indicators when they appear to be interrupting others or acting impulsively per social standards. Furthermore, it might improve their vocabulary, help them recall specifics of events in real time, and assist them in forming coherent sentences and words in their minds.
Gesture activates the feature on the go
Working Prototype & Testing
I used my current skill sets and available resources to build an initial proof of concept for quick iterative user testing. Through these prototypes I wanted to test...
- Market Demand,
- User Multimodal Interaction
- Initial User Perception of these Devices
- Privacy Concerns
- AI Voice Interaction Under Different Environments.
I used Vibe coding and hardware sensors like Arduino and Raspberry Pi, RF-ID, screens, Camera, Microphone, Muse2, JavaScript and Python to build this working prototype.
Prototype Roadmap
Phase 01
Necklace
Assumption
“We believe that neurodiverse introverted users would prefer a wearable that blends seamlessly as an accessory and helps them initiate in-person conversations during their daily routines (e.g., commuting, visiting coffee shops, or having lunch). By revealing mutual friends, shared interests, hobbies, and intentions, and by offering tools to build small talk skills, the device could make it easier for them to approach others, build trust, and form new connections.”
Ideal User Experience Journey
Systems Blueprint
Key Features—To Test
Working Prototype
Key Outcomes
Being at NYU gave us access to individuals in ADHD groups and students in our program to interview, user test and gain meaningful insights quickly
We learned that...
1. Broader Appeal Beyond Target Audience
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The features were appreciated not only by students but also by professionals in sales, education (e.g., teachers), business leadership, and consulting. These individuals often keep records of names and conversations, meet new people regularly, engage in small talk, and develop leadership skills—making them receptive to the product’s capabilities.
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2. Limited Long-Term Investment Incentive
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While participants valued features such as name recall and small talk support, many felt name recall feature or simply a summary of conversation was not enough for this investment as these are most useful in initial interactions such as when meeting someone new, dating, or attending events. Over time, they anticipated using the product less frequently, reducing their willingness to invest in it.
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3. Greater Appeal to Extroverts than Introverts
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Although the product was designed for introverts, extroverted participants responded more positively. Introverts, despite having access to supportive tools, still expressed anxiety about initiating conversations and preferred connecting within small circles or through friends at events.
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4. Voice Guidance Alone Was Insufficient
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Voice-based feedback was not enough to provide accurate guidance, especially in group settings where it was difficult to identify the active speaker. Participants highlighted the need to incorporate cues from facial expressions, body language, and posture to deliver more precise and effective social skill coaching.
Describe your image
Describe your image
Describe your image
Describe your image
Phase 02
EEG AR Smart Glasses
Assumption
Taking previous learnings into account, we assume that users with ADHD and autism would prefer receiving accurate, real-time behavioral coaching to enhance self-awareness and personal growth, supported by AI-driven guidance and timely interventions. This support would enable them to continuously develop soft and communication skills in both college and workplace settings, while prioritizing their mental health and well-being
Iterative Prototyping and Testing
We initially developed a web application to evaluate technical capabilities and output, integrating it with an EEG Muse 2 controller to analyze brainwave patterns.
We are now building a smartwatch application to enable AI-driven behavioral coaching to operate in real time, anywhere.
Ultimately, we aim to translate these features into an augmented reality interface, providing seamless, on-demand access to information in real time.
