ZENDO MEDITATION

Client project, completed in 2023.

invented by neuroscientists

Bashar Badran and Baron Short discovered the neural pathway that’s active during deep meditation. They invented a device that stimulates this pathway with electricity. This gives the positive benefits of meditation, without any training!

“The effects are amazing, but I feel like I’m in a science experiment”

Early adopters could overlook this, but the founders didn’t believe the current design would let them “cross the chasm” to broader adoption.

Zendo needed a more approachable, easy to use product in order to scale

Core Customer

  • Healthy lifestyle, practice yoga or other fitness activities

  • Age 20s - 50s

  • “Meditation-aware”: they know there are benefits, but they’ve either never tried, or tried and failed, or used to meditate regularly but fell out of it

  • This is who Zendo has already gotten traction with

Aligning on an aesthetic

  • “Not too futuristic, and not too medical” — Client’s request

  • Clean, rounded forms

  • Soft touch materials, matte finish

  • Textile integration

Architectures

Pill

hidden

Pucks

Mechanical

Electronics package: How big is it, really?

Battery and PCB sizes were estimated by our electrical engineer.

CAD Mockups

Based on estimated component size.

More garment-like, more approachable!

Fitting 99% of head sizes, with adjustable electrode placement

Zendo doesn’t work if the electrodes are placed incorrectly! We had to make the overall size adjustable, as well as the individual electrodes.

We analyzed 3D scanning files from NIOSH to figure out the correct sizing and adjustment range.


Concept A: Big Slider

Electrode and electronics slide together. The electrode doesn’t need special wiring to allow for movement.

Uneven pressure on the electrode can cause a burn. This concept won’t work.


Concept B: Small Slider

Electrode slides, electronics are fixed. A wire floats freely inside the plastic housing.

Better, but still pretty bulky.


Concept C: Separated

Electrode slides, electronics are fixed. A wire is sandwiched between the webbing and headband.

Success! Comfortable, functional, and slim.

Final Design intent

production

Credits

Anatoliy Dzhuga: mechanical engineering