Stress and Wearables

Students: Justine Flemming and Kim van Erp

Partner: Workplace Vitality Hub

Coach: Bernard Grundlehner

The effect of stress and wearables

This experimental quantitative study compares two wearables the NUANIC ring (consumer-focused) and the Shimmer GSR+ (research-grade) in their ability to measure electrodermal activity (EDA) as an indicator of stress. The goal is to assess their accuracy and usability in workplace settings.

Participants (office workers) wore both devices during a controlled 20-minute hydrojet bed intervention on two consecutive days. EDA data were collected before, during, and after each session. The NUANIC was worn all day; the Shimmer was applied 30 minutes pre- and post- intervention.

Research question

This study compares skin conductance response (GSR/EDA) as measured by the Shimmer GSR+ and the NUANIC Ring during and after a stress-reducing hydrojet bed intervention in healthy adults. It also explores user experiences with the usability of the NUANIC stress tracking ring, through qualitative interviews.

The broader goal is to evaluate whether wearable stress-monitoring devices like the NUANIC Ring can serve as reliable and user-friendly tools for tracking stress responses in real-life settings, and to assess their potential for use in preventive health care and stress management interventions.