AURA

Introduction

Whether in an open-plan office or at home, distractions are part of daily work. Conversations, interruptions, and background noise can disrupt focus.
Our AURA headset helps maintain concentration while ensuring clear communication. Three status colors indicate availability—fully available, busy, or only for emergencies—reducing misunderstandings and interruptions.
AURA adapts automatically to different situations, activating “Do Not Disturb” mode or noise canceling during calls. It also allows music playback to enhance the work atmosphere.

Research

The key pain points we identified include disruptive background noise across different work environments and poor usability, particularly due to overly complex headset controls with numerous small buttons. Additionally, users face challenges in clearly signaling their availability or isolating themselves from their surroundings without effort or misunderstanding.

To ensure our solution meets the needs of various office and home office scenarios, we developed personas reflecting diverse daily routines and work situations. This approach allows us to design more effectively for a wide range of use cases.

Making of

After executing a photo study and initial sketches of the headset, we built a first prototype to explore its shape, size, and placement, allowing us to get a better feel for its design and ergonomics.

Testing the prototype gave us valuable insights into areas for improvement. Based on these findings, we created initial sketches to explore how to refine and enhance the design.

Features

AURA powers on automatically when worn and turns off when removed, ensuring effortless handling.
To help manage interruptions, AURA features three smart availability modes: white for fully available, orange for emergencies only, and red for “do not disturb.” The status adapts automatically to different situations for example, switching to “do not disturb” during meetings.
Active Noise Canceling can be activated simply by placing a hand over the earcup, while muting the microphone is as easy as squeezing it. A multifunctional touch surface allows for smooth media control volume is adjusted through a circular touch motion, tracks can be skipped or replayed with a swipe, and a simple tap pauses or plays music.
By combining smart automation with effortless gestures, AURA enhances focus and productivity in any work environment.