Affective Audio & Augmented Reality Integration for Emotional Regulation

Type

Academic Project

Duration

16 Weeks | 2026

Overview

Affective Audio & Augmented Reality Integration for Emotional Regulation

This academic project, developed as part of the New Media and Interaction Design module, explores the intersection of affective computing, augmented reality, and audio curation.

"Spotify Aura" proposes a conceptual feature within the Spotify ecosystem that acts as a digital smart mirror. By bridging the gap between a user's physical presentation and their internal emotional state, the project aims to design a bio-responsive interface that leverages real-time data to help users actively manage pre-event anxiety and build confidence.The Impact

The redesign focused on improving clarity across the dashboard through better hierarchy, cleaner spacing, and more visible transaction details. The updated experience made everyday financial workflows easier to scan and navigate while introducing lightweight interactions that surfaced more context when needed.

Problem

The underlying issue that this project will solve is the "Confidence Gap" – that familiar moment when we dress for success, yet still feel like confident enough from inside. Just before big moments like job interviews, dates, or parties, there is often a disconnection that separates the user's put-together public face from their own private feelings of extreme nervousness. Although it is only natural for people to look to music as a way to pump themselves up or wind down, the current state of music streaming services is completely manual and passive. Because these services lack an understanding of how the user is physically and mentally feeling in a given moment, they are missing an important opportunity to assist the user in managing their nerves and closing the gap between how they look and how they feel.

Spotify Aura delivers "The Smart Mirror Experience"—a native, camera-enabled Augmented Reality feature built directly into the Spotify ecosystem. By utilizing the smartphone's camera, the interface simultaneously scans the user's outfit or reads their facial biometrics to generate a real-time AR dashboard.

This interactive display goes beyond simply showing live physiological data like heart rate and stress levels; it acts as a digital "hype man," offering personalized, confidence-boosting commentary on the user's style.

Utilizing this combined affective data, the system's AI dynamically curates a personalized playlist engineered specifically to regulate the user's nervous system and elevate their mood, perfectly priming them for the event ahead.

User Journey