British PhD Student Creates 'Breathing Ball' PAWS Is New Antistress

Breathing exercises reduce stress and anxiety. However, in difficult situations it can be difficult to concentrate. Therefore, PhD student in computer science from the University of Bath (UK) Alex Farroll created "breathing ball" PAWS - it is just for such cases.

The device is experimental and is intended to create a "tangibility of breathing". It is the latter that allows you to focus and in the end calm down, the developer notes.

In the current incarnation of the technology, sensors on the user's body monitor the user's breathing patterns and relay this information to the ball via a wired computer. A special system inside the balloon reacts to incoming data by inflating it with air and then partially deflating it, and thus reproduces the frequency and duration of breathing in real time.

PAWS has already been tested among several dozen students, who were divided into two groups - one did breathing exercises with audio recordings for meditation and a ball, others with sound only. As a result, the first reported a decrease

anxiety by an average of 75%, the latter by only 31%.

Moreover, the experimental group showed a much higher heart rate variability, which is an indicator of improvement. stress resistance And emotional stability.

Farroll now plans to conduct a larger and longer study. And in the future, he wants to improve PAWS, making it completely wireless and autonomous.

How do you deal with stress? Tell in the comments.