Modulating Respiration with Sensory Wearables – Early Insights

Abstract

Healthcare professionals, particularly surgeons, face high rates of acute stress and burnout that can compromise clinician well‑being and patient safety. This study establishes a foundation for a real‑time breathing‑regulation system designed to mitigate intraoperative acute stress by modulating respiratory rates through tactile and visual stimuli. Semistructured interviews were conducted to derive user requirements. Five tactile and four visual stimuli were implemented to guide breathing to five cycles per minute and evaluated in a experimental study (N=13) using a haptic suit. The results show that participants rated tactile cues higher and preferred lower intensities for extended use. Results indicate tactile stimulation is the most promising modality; future work must validate physiological efficacy and OR deployment.