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Breth
Overview
I was the product design lead for breth, a portable, wearable device and app that supports breathwork and stress reduction through synchronized haptics, sound, and visual guidance. Breth's sensors measure breathing capabilities while delivering silent, rhythmic vibrations that guide breathing exercises in real time, helping users improve focus, sleep, and manage anxiety.
Coming out of the pandemic, and balancing work and life with a busy family, managing stress became deeply personal. Breth was born from that reality: an immersive, sensory experience that uses the physical presence of soothing haptics to quiet the mind and create space for calm, in minutes.
I led the product design from initial concept through to successful crowdfunding and e-commerce launch, working closely with CTO Dylan Scott and Lead Embedded Systems Engineer Jason Palm to bring the product to life in only one year.
Background
Breth began as a strategic expansion beyond clinical rehabilitation into a broader, consumer-facing space. While breathing exercises are widely used in clinical settings and offer well-established benefits, much of the consumer landscape felt fragmented, often lacking clarity and consistency.
Building on our team's expertise in dysphagia and respiratory health, we saw an opportunity to reframe breathwork through a more grounded, evidence-informed approach. There are no instant resets for the nervous system; wellness is built through consistent practice, not quick fixes. Our goal was to create an experience that felt intuitive, credible, and engaging, bridging clinical insight with an immersive, sensory product that encourages consistency and supports everyday improvements in focus and stress.
I led product design through research, ideation, MVP development and commercialization, helping shape a system that combines wearable haptics, software, and intelligent breathing detection. Along the way, we developed and tested core technologies, filed foundational IP, and validated the concept with both users and clinicians.
To further test the market and reach a wider audience, we successfully launched breth on Indiegogo and later, Kickstarter. We leveraged crowdfunding to generate early demand, build community, and validate the product beyond traditional healthcare channels.
Breth continued as a successful e-commerce product, building a loyal customer base before concluding with the closure of True Angle Medical Technologies.
Key Achievements
Conceptualized, designed, and shipped a new product from 0→1 in ~12 months
Led end-to-end product design and creative direction across hardware, software, and brand experience
Working within a lean, three-person development team, I helped design and validate an MVP, that included respiratory detection, haptic interactions, and foundational IP.
Successfully launched and shipped on Indiegogo and Kickstarter, building an early adopter community
Transitioned to direct-to-consumer e-commerce following crowdfunding, generating continued sales and engagement
Starting from zero, I conducted trend analysis alongside stakeholder and prospective customer interviews. I synthesized these insights into clearly defined opportunity areas aligned with our team’s strengths and capabilities.
I developed a decision-making matrix to translate early research into actionable criteria - evaluating market fit, feasibility, team alignment, and speed to market. This helped the team and advisors quickly understand trade-offs and prioritize opportunities.
I mapped both direct and analogous competitors against our prioritized opportunities, using Business Model Canvases to deepen understanding of market dynamics, positioning, and potential gaps.
I translated research insights into a focused set of design questions, which guided a series of synchronous and asynchronous design sprints. I led these efforts to rapidly explore and converge on a short list of high-potential concepts.
Living with dysphagia is difficult enough.
Access to treatment shouldn’t add to the burden.
Taking shape
Following design sprints, I began conceptualizing hardware and software product details as well as the product name and brand identity.
Understanding Patients as People
We improved access, cost and convenience for an extremely prevalent disorder that is exceptionally underserved.
We did this by immersing ourselves in the lives of patients, the responsibilities of clinicians and the challenges facing administrators when adopting new technologies.
I spent time learning about their needs, wants, motivations and limitations to guide and inspire our multi-disciplinary team. Some of the ways I did this included cultural probes and patient interviews, which are described in more detail in Research Methods.
Mobili-T iOS app and under-chin sEMG hardware that captures muscle activity and provides real-time visual biofeedback in the app
Summarizing findings
I used Personas to summarize key research findings. This created data-driven, humanized references in our product discussions.
Creating Quick References
Quantitative data was summarized in digital/print infographics to further faciltate discussions and decisions.
The “Cyclops” symbol maps directly to electrode placement, guiding correct positioning while turning a requirement into a simple, memorable interaction.
Finding Joy in Adversity
In the clinical testing version of the product, I designed the branding element affectionately named “The Cyclops”, to improve electrode placement. The “eye” aligns with the ground electrode at the jawbone, while the “smile” maps to the swallowing muscles.
This visual pattern simplifies placement, addressing a key challenge with traditional sEMG systems, while doubling as a playful, recognizable symbol used across Mobili-T’s product, packaging, and brand.
It brings a sense of warmth and humanity to an experience previously viewed as difficult and intimidating.
Grounded in Patient Reality
Hands-on feedback and user testing shaped the product at every stage - from storyboard walkthroughs to functional testing of both hardware and software.
This ongoing involvement kept the team grounded in the realities patients face every day. It meant making space for those who had lost the ability to speak to still be heard, and scheduling sessions around the demands of treatment.
More than validation, it deepened our empathy and strengthened our commitment to creating a system that meaningfully supports their needs.
Testing and feedback were integral to keeping the team focused on improving access to swallowing therapy. Which meant making sure this could be used at home.
Following clinical testing, Mobili-T underwent numerous changes driven by insights gained from patients, clinicians and administrators.
Commercialization
As Mobili-T moved through R&D and clinical testing into commercialization, improvements were made to the hardware, software and business model.
You can read more about the details of designing the Mobili-T app here.
You can read about the design of the Clinician Portal here.
You can read about the design of the Onboarding experience here.
And you can read about the conceptualization of a new product offering (Core), here.
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