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NieNie: Adaptive Rhythmic System for Stress Relief with LLM-Based Guidance

Yichen Yu, Qiaoran Wang

TL;DR

NieNie tackles the challenge of effectively regulating stress in young people by replacing static wellness apps with an embodied, rhythm-guided system that fuses real-time physiological sensing, haptic interaction, and adaptive LLM-generated guidance. The approach leverages HR/HRV through an on-device LSTM classifier trained on the WESAD dataset to drive dynamic squeeze-release rhythms and narrative prompts within a Unity-based gamified interface. Its four-module architecture—Stress Detection, LLM Guidance, Rhythm Generation, and Interactive Game—creates a closed loop that links bodily states to personalized, context-aware feedback. Implemented on mobile devices with an Apple Watch and a soft squeezable sensor, NieNie demonstrates the feasibility of embodied mental health interventions that couple biofeedback with adaptive language support in everyday contexts. Overall, the work advances embodied regulation techniques and paves the way for scalable, immersive stress relief tools in real-world settings.

Abstract

Today's young people are facing increasing psychological stress due to various social issues. Traditional stress management tools often rely on static scripts or passive content, which are ineffective in alleviating stress. NieNie addresses this gap by combining rhythm biofeedback with real-time psychological guidance through a large language model (LLM), offering an interactive, tactile response. The system is specifically designed for young people experiencing emotional stress, collecting physiological signals such as heart rate variability and generating adaptive squeeze-release rhythms via soft, tactile devices. Utilising LLM, the system provides timely squeezing rhythms and psychologically guided feedback prompts, offering personalised rhythm games while reinforcing stress restructuring. Unlike traditional mental health apps, NieNie places users within an embodied interactive loop, leveraging tactile interaction, biofeedback, and adaptive language support to create an immersive stress regulation experience. This study demonstrates how embodied systems can connect bodily actions with mental health in everyday contexts.

NieNie: Adaptive Rhythmic System for Stress Relief with LLM-Based Guidance

TL;DR

NieNie tackles the challenge of effectively regulating stress in young people by replacing static wellness apps with an embodied, rhythm-guided system that fuses real-time physiological sensing, haptic interaction, and adaptive LLM-generated guidance. The approach leverages HR/HRV through an on-device LSTM classifier trained on the WESAD dataset to drive dynamic squeeze-release rhythms and narrative prompts within a Unity-based gamified interface. Its four-module architecture—Stress Detection, LLM Guidance, Rhythm Generation, and Interactive Game—creates a closed loop that links bodily states to personalized, context-aware feedback. Implemented on mobile devices with an Apple Watch and a soft squeezable sensor, NieNie demonstrates the feasibility of embodied mental health interventions that couple biofeedback with adaptive language support in everyday contexts. Overall, the work advances embodied regulation techniques and paves the way for scalable, immersive stress relief tools in real-world settings.

Abstract

Today's young people are facing increasing psychological stress due to various social issues. Traditional stress management tools often rely on static scripts or passive content, which are ineffective in alleviating stress. NieNie addresses this gap by combining rhythm biofeedback with real-time psychological guidance through a large language model (LLM), offering an interactive, tactile response. The system is specifically designed for young people experiencing emotional stress, collecting physiological signals such as heart rate variability and generating adaptive squeeze-release rhythms via soft, tactile devices. Utilising LLM, the system provides timely squeezing rhythms and psychologically guided feedback prompts, offering personalised rhythm games while reinforcing stress restructuring. Unlike traditional mental health apps, NieNie places users within an embodied interactive loop, leveraging tactile interaction, biofeedback, and adaptive language support to create an immersive stress regulation experience. This study demonstrates how embodied systems can connect bodily actions with mental health in everyday contexts.
Paper Structure (5 sections, 2 figures)

This paper contains 5 sections, 2 figures.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Related Work
  3. System Design
  4. Implementation
  5. Limitations and Future Work

Figures (2)

  • Figure 1: Users squeeze tomatoes into the can according to the rhythm and frequency of the cans appearing. After squeezing, new tomatoes will appear. The filled cans slide to the left, while new empty cans slide in from the right.
  • Figure 2: Apple Watch used in NieNie for real-time heart rate and HRV sensing, with data transmitted to the Unity game system.