Inattention, restlessness, and lack of task management caused by intermittent impulses can present significant challenges for people with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) at work, leading to decreased self-esteem and a lack of professionalism. To address this problem, we present FidgAware, a tangible solution through the design of an interactive fidget toy. Informed by interview with people with ADHD, we developed a squeezable stress ball, connected to an air pressure sensor, to collect the user’s behavioral data and an accompanying digital interface to record and review their fidgeting behaviors. When an impulsive behavior occurs, the user squeezes the toy that triggers a prompted dialogue in the interface, asking the user to record their thoughts about the impulse. A grid-based visualization is provided to report all the impulses with the toy. Further, we found FidgAware helpful for self-awareness and focus promotion through a preliminary evaluation with two ADHD participants in various working settings.

Acknowledgement: This is a teamwork by Chenhe Zhao, Kelsey Sha, Esther Liu, Yulu Wang, Diandian Lei, and guided by Dr. Liang He.

My contributions: I proposed the project concept, developed the prototype using an Arduino board, and programmed the interactive web UI with p5.js. Additionally, I engaged in user research, including participant recruitment and pilot testing, and contributed to the final video presentation.