SenseCue

Inspiration

SenseCue was inspired by the idea that social interactions rely heavily on subtle cues such as facial expressions, tone of voice, eye contact, and conversational timing. While people naturally process these signals, the process is often subconscious and difficult to interpret in real time. This can be especially challenging in unfamiliar environments or for individuals who experience social anxiety or difficulty reading social cues. The project explores how assistive technology could help make these signals more visible and understandable.

What it does

SenseCue is an augmented reality concept that analyzes social signals (such as micro facial expressions, gaze patterns, and conversational timing) and translates them into subtle visual cues. These cues help users better understand the emotional atmosphere of a conversation. The system also provides reflective feedback through a dashboard that tracks interaction patterns and social confidence over time.

How we built it

The project was developed through research, UX design, and interface prototyping. We began by studying common interpersonal signals and how they influence social perception. From there, we designed user flows and created interface prototypes that visualize these signals through minimal augmented reality indicators. The system also includes a profile dashboard that helps users reflect on their interaction patterns and progress.

Challenges we ran into

One of the biggest challenges was balancing helpful feedback with ethical considerations. Interpreting emotional signals can easily lead to oversimplification or privacy concerns. Another challenge was designing cues that support awareness without distracting users during conversations. Finding the right level of subtlety and clarity required careful design decisions.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We developed a concept that transforms complex social signals into an accessible and supportive interface. The project successfully integrates real-time cues with long-term reflection tools, encouraging users to build confidence and awareness over time.

What we learned

This project reinforced the importance of designing technology that supports human intuition rather than replacing it. It also highlighted how UX design can translate complex behavioral data into meaningful and understandable experiences.

What's next for SenseCue

Future development could include refining the augmented reality feedback system, improving personalization based on user behavior, and exploring additional safeguards to ensure ethical use of emotional data. Further testing with users would also help evaluate how effectively the system supports social awareness and confidence.