2023 | Professional

MUSE Design Awards Gold Winner

Umi: A Seamless Ecosystem Bridging Emotional Distances

Entrant Company

Sizhe Huang

Category

Conceptual Design - Interaction

Client's Name

Country / Region

United States

In the fast-paced, globally interconnected world we inhabit, physical distances often create emotional gaps, making interpersonal connections feel less intimate and more abstract. While digital technology facilitates communication, it lacks the warmth and tangibility of physical presence, leading to a sense of isolation. Recognizing this emotional void, Umi is born as a holistic solution, a visionary design project aiming to revolutionize long-distance communication by restoring the sense of personal connection and emotional intimacy.



The Umi ecosystem harmoniously blends a physical product—the Pebble and the Nest—with an intuitive digital application designed for both mobile and watch devices. This integration allows the translation of digital communications into a more tactile, sensory experience. It seeks to enhance emotional bonds between friends and loved ones, irrespective of geographical barriers.



The Pebble and Nest duo act as personal avatars, embodying the presence of each friend or loved one. The users can touch, feel, and even rub it, physically embodying the bond they share with others. The Umi mobile app and the Apple Watch app form the digital pulse of the Umi experience, creating an immersive platform for transmitting virtual hugs and voices, and nurturing emotional bonds on the go.



In an era where digital interactions often feel flat and impersonal, Umi presents a refreshing solution. It addresses the problem of digital disconnection by seamlessly blending tactile, auditory, and visual elements, thereby nurturing a deeper emotional resonance in digital communications. Umi's approach to fostering emotional connectivity is holistic, recognizing that meaningful interactions are multi-faceted and must engage all our senses.



More than a product or a platform, Umi is a human-centric innovation in enhancing our emotional experiences, reimagining digital communication, and bridging the physical and virtual worlds. Through Umi, we're embracing the convenience of digital technology while reclaiming the warmth and intimacy of physical interaction.

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