Lu Lu’s project for their Jewellery and Metalwork MFA is titled ‘Cocoon-Break’ which is designed to be used as both a ring and a stress-relief device. Lu hopes that sufferers of depression and anxiety could squeeze the ring to help relieve their symptoms, which would also generate user data such as their heart rate and frequency of use which can be transferred to the wearer’s doctor, helping the patient be monitored in real time.

According to the World Health Organisation by 2020 depression will become the second most prevalent human disease, trumped only by cardiovascular disease. Alongside this, an article in the ‘Lancet’ journal showed that approximately 248 million people are in need of mental health services in China. As a designer, Lu hopes that their design practice can help people lead a more fulfilling and convenient lifestyle. ‘Cocoon-Break’ can help relieve a patient of their symptoms aiming to reduce the suicide rate which is exactly the kind of positive influence Lu want’s their design work to have.