ZandConnect

It is apparent that students feel socially isolated in times of the pandemic. They experience less social contact and as a result, many suffer from mental health issues such as stress, sadness, depression and loneliness. Besides, several students experience a weaker connection with close ones compared to prior the pandemic. Additionally, students find it difficult to reach out, for example through text messages. Furthermore, some students have trouble expressing their emotions or sharing their feelings with others through digital media. Finally, some students are tired of sitting behind a screen all day and some find video calling to be frustrating.

ZandConnect allows the user to create a scenery and share it with its contacts. Composed of a circular sand covered surface, a magnetic ball, an assortment of lights, and a set of speakers, the device gives the user freedom to create its own scenery that represents the users’ current state of mind and share it with close ones. ZandConnect gives users a unique way to communicate, express themselves, and help strengthen or reboot the relationships between close ones. Finally, to differentiate from other applications, the product includes empathy, engaging interactions and a fun experience without staring at screens all day.