What it does
Aura is a modular pair of smart glasses that uses EEG technology to provide real-time emotional and behavioral coaching, helping young adults with autism (ages 15-28) navigate social situations and build meaningful connections with confidence.
Your inspiration
Aura was inspired by my cousin, who went undiagnosed with high-functioning autism for 24 years. Growing up in India, she masked her behavior due to stigma and was misdiagnosed with anxiety and depression. When she moved to the U.S. for college, she struggled with social and professional expectations, often without knowing why. Autism evaluations can cost thousands, with long wait times and few specialists. Her experience is not unique: 1 in 4 autistic young adults is socially isolated, and many face chronic loneliness, communication challenges, and career setbacks. Aura was created to change that reality.
How it works
Aura consists of smart glasses powered by Raspberry Pi 5 and EEG sensors (via Muse 2) monitor stress, anxiety, and cognitive load. A modular scent diffuser can be attached to help regulate emotions in overstimulating environments. A built-in microphone listens passively (without recording) and uses a LLM to analyze tone and emotional context. A camera detects when others are speaking, along with their facial expressions, posture, and emotional state to provide real-time social feedback. Finally, a smartwatch delivers discreet, in-the-moment guidance, while the companion app tracks emotional progress and offers personalized insights, scenario-based learning, and mental health tools grounded in real-life interactions. Aura interprets both the user’s internal state and the dynamics of a conversation, delivering CBT-based feedback in real time to improve communication, emotional awareness, and connection. All data is processed locally to prioritize privacy.
Design process
We began with in-depth user research—interviewing over 40 autistic high school and college students, early professionals, and therapists. To better understand real-world social challenges, we also joined neurodiverse coaching sessions at NYU and conducted “day in the life” observations. Key insights emerged: under stress, users struggled to interpret social cues or express emotions; most learned social skills through painful trial and error, often realizing what went wrong days later; and existing tools felt generic and disconnected from real experiences. Our first prototype was a wearable necklace with a camera and mic, but orientation issues and manual input made it unreliable. A smartwatch-based help button also failed—users often forgot to trigger it or used it too late. We pivoted to smart glasses, which naturally align with the user’s gaze and enable passive sensing. This form allowed seamless integration of EEG sensors, a camera, and mic. We developed the prototype using Raspberry Pi 5 and Muse 2, combining tone and emotion analysis with real-time feedback in a web-based interface—shaped continuously by neurodiverse user feedback.
How it is different
Aura is not just a tool it’s a real-time behavioral coach designed for the unpredictability of everyday life. Unlike therapy, chatbot apps, or training games that rely on reflection or repetition, Aura supports users in the moment, when guidance is most needed, helping them adapt and learn through real interactions. What sets it apart is its multimodal sensing: EEG, tone, facial emotion, and posture work together to form a clear picture of the user’s state. Coaching is personalized feedback that is tailored to emotional patterns and real-world contexts, not generic advice. Aura is modular and inclusive, accounting for co-occurring conditions like ADHD and sensory challenges, with hardware that can be customized to user needs. It also analyzes both the user and those around them, enabling more accurate, empathetic feedback. Unlike tools that rely on memory and reflection, Aura responds in real time, reducing cognitive load and accelerating emotional growth.
Future plans
We envision Aura as a daily mental wellness wearable for neurodiverse individuals, especially those undiagnosed due to stigma, cost, or lack of access. We will finalize the smart glasses prototype with EEG and scent diffuser, develop a discreet watchOS app, and partner with therapists to refine our language models. We’ll also run sensory studies to improve trigger detection and scent-based regulation and launch pilot tests with users in college. Long term, Aura aims to support not just autism but also ADHD, sensory sensitivity, and broader neurodivergence, offering real-time emotional clarity in an often overwhelming world.
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