Month: May 2026

A digital platform that personalizes climate crisis communication using adaptive data-driven visuals. Biome is designed to foster an emotional connection and response among individuals through narratives that resonate across numerous audience profiles.

Define the problem/need you are solving or addressing with your project. How does it address the Open Call criteria, such as environmental impact, social engagement, circularity, user experience, resource efficiency, and community-driven solutions?

The rapidly unfolding anthropogenic climate change has led to witnessing drastic and widespread impacts on both human and non-human existence, making it one of the most imperative crises to address; however, there remains a lack of urgency and commitment to take meaningful action. One of the crucial reasons for this is the psychological distance one has from the crisis — perceiving it as far, not relevant to them or their region. To address this distance, climate communication needs curation with consideration of the audience and their individual biases, experiences and interests. This project explores how data communicated and personalized through a psychological rather than just a geographical lens can support a personal & meaningful relationship to the crisis.

Please describe your project, reflecting on the concept, inspiration, materials, technical aspects, methods and process(es).

The process of conceptualizing Biome started with the question, “How can creating a personalized experience for consuming crisis-related information support a more emotional engagement?”. The objective was to understand the complexities of both climate crisis communication and human psychology to create a deeper connection between them, driving more empathy. Through a brief survey to understand how people perceive the severity of the crisis, I found that the majority were aware of the ongoing crisis but still felt distant from the growing urgency and intensity of it.

The overarching intention with this concept is to support more empathetic engagement; however, when individuals are emotionally disconnected from the crisis itself, the first step is to create that connection through personal resonance. Biome communicates climate crisis data in a way that is relevant and personal to the individual and visually aligns with their diverse emotional and cognitive needs.

What do you think makes your project innovative compared to the existing efforts and ideas in the field it addresses?

What makes Biome stand out is the ability to learn and connect, both about the individual and the world around them. Employing a two-layered personalization, gaining insights into personal life experiences and personality traits, the platform first learns more about the individual and identifies relevant links between them and the climate crisis to help them connect with the world. The personalization feature extends beyond the curation of climate content and also influences the visual language of the data-driven experience, leveraging Generative AI to cater to various personality clusters through research-driven design. This is crucial when communicating because each of us perceives the crisis differently, our level of knowledge differs and most importantly, we process emotions in our own ways. These differences are also seen in the way we engage with visualizations, influenced by our diverse personality traits, making it pertinent to the personalization of the Biome experience.

Does it impact or reflect young people need(s) and how?

Biome creates a space to foster empathy towards all life around. There are two ways that this impacts the needs of young people. Firstly, it provides an opportunity to learn deeply about the world we live in, the growing degradation of it caused by human activity, the ways in which our lives are altering without realization, and the ways we can nurture and take action towards ending the exploitation, in a way that is personal and human. This leads to the second point — enabling a community driven by empathy. Through personalized learning and connecting, individuals are encouraged to find a sense of community and empowerment, reflecting on their actions and adopting meaningful habits towards building a sustainable future. The personalization that Biome offers enables the impact of the experience to be amplified across diverse audiences, allowing for a deeper connection to the world and to each other.

Bleh! is a collection of therapeutic candies designed to stimulate tongue proprioception in children with macroglossia and tongue hypotonia, transforming oral therapy into a playful sensory experience through food design, graphic language, and affective interaction.

Define the problem/need you are solving or addressing with your project. How does it address the Open Call criteria, such as environmental impact, social engagement, circularity, user experience, resource efficiency, and community-driven solutions?

Children with Down syndrome often face macroglossia and protrusion of the tongue, which can lead to dental issues, social discomfort, and challenges in oral motor development. My project, Bleh! Ode to the Tongue, addresses these needs by creating playful, therapeutic candies that encourages safe tongue movement, proprioception, and sensory engagement. By combining food design with inclusive design principles, the project fosters social interaction, promotes awareness, and improves daily oral care routines. Materials are food-safe, visually appealing, and produced with minimal waste, emphasizing circularity and resource efficiency. The process integrates co-creation with children and caregivers, ensuring user-centered solutions. This approach stimulates community engagement, as families and educators participate in the development and testing of prototypes. The project merges art, science, and design to create a socially conscious, sustainable, and multisensory solution for a traditionally overlooked area of health and inclusion.

Please describe your project, reflecting on the concept, inspiration, materials, technical aspects, methods and process(es).

Bleh! Oda a la lengua is inspired by the overlooked role of the tongue in communication, expression, and sensory experience. The project explores how playful, colorful confectionery can function as a tool for oral stimulation, proprioception, and social interaction. Materials include natural colorants derived from fruits, vegetables, and spices, combined with safe, malleable, and biodegradable bases. The design process merges research in food science, therapy techniques, and inclusive design, involving iterative prototyping with children, caregivers, and experts. Technical methods include molding, textural experimentation, and visual storytelling through packaging and branding to enhance engagement. Each piece is designed to encourage different tongue movements, while the visual language and tactile experience aim to make therapy enjoyable and socially engaging. The process emphasizes accessibility, sustainability, and co-creation, making each product a hybrid between functional therapy, playful interaction, and artistic expression, reinforcing the significance of the tongue in daily life and social bonding.

What do you think makes your project innovative compared to the existing efforts and ideas in the field it addresses?

Bleh! Ode to the Tongue innovates by transforming a deeply personal, real-life challenge (my little sister’s experience with macroglossia) into a design solution that blends therapy, play, and food. Unlike conventional interventions, which are often clinical or obligatory, this project uses confectionery to turn necessary oral exercises into a desirable, engaging, and multisensory activity. The personal, nostalgic foundation grounds the project in lived experience, ensuring empathy and relevance, while the candy format transforms obligation into desire, encouraging consistent participation. By combining color, texture, taste, and playful shapes, it stimulates oral proprioception while promoting social interaction and inclusion. Sustainability, co-creation, and user-centered design are embedded throughout, making it a holistic approach. This unique mix of intimacy, play, and functional therapy positions the project as a pioneering intervention that is both emotionally resonant and socially impactful, bridging art, design, and inclusive health in ways existing tools do not.

Does it impact or reflect young people need(s) and how?

Yes, it directly impacts young people’s needs. Addresses the physical, social, and emotional needs of children with Down syndrome. By offering playful, therapeutic confectionery, it encourages safe tongue movement, improving oral motor skills, proprioception, and dental health. The interactive and visually appealing design fosters curiosity, engagement, and enjoyment, transforming therapy into a positive, daily experience. Beyond physical benefits, the project promotes social inclusion by enabling shared experiences between children, families, and peers, reducing stigma around oral differences. The creation process allows young people to influence design decisions, empowering them and valuing their perspective. Additionally, the multisensory approach enhances cognitive, tactile, and gustatory exploration, supporting broader learning and developmental skills. By addressing functional, emotional, and social aspects simultaneously, the project responds holistically to young people’s needs, demonstrating that care routines can be enjoyable, inclusive, and creatively enriching.