a Figbuild 25' Project
Soma
A body-tech system that monitors biometrics to manage somatic powers
OVERVIEW
A speculative mobile system that allows for modulation of internal bodily functions.
Created for FigBuild 2025, this project responded to a prompt to design a tool for managing a fictional superpower. Soma + Intrachip is a system that displays biodata related to superpower use like delaying urination, pausing menstruation, or suppressing gas. This biodata is displayed in pairing with smart insights to prevent superpower overuse and protect natural rhythms.
Role
Product Designer
(Strategy & Alignment)
Tools
Figma & Figjam
Team
Gillian Soekawan, Jada Nguyen, Michelle Kim, Steven Heng
PROMPT
1
Identify a shared pain point — something you encounter in daily life that feels frustrating or inefficient.
2
Invent a superpower that would solve this problem.
3
Design a tool that would help manage your superpower effectively.
THE CHALLENGE WE CHOSE
How might we make internal bodily control empowering, without making it dangerous?
Bodily functions like peeing, pooping, farting, or menstruating are things we all experience, but can’t control. This unpredictability leads to social discomfort and poorly timed interruptions—on dates, during commutes, or in public spaces.
We imagined a world where we could control these functions—but that superpower quickly revealed ethical and physical risks: overuse, body dysregulation, and harmful suppression driven by image or productivity pressures. How could we design for bodily autonomy while safeguarding natural rhythms?
FINAL DESIGN
Soma + IntraChip — a speculative biodata system that respects the body while giving users new somatic control
Soma is a mobile interface paired with a soft subdermal implant (IntraChip) that allows users to delay, accelerate, or suppress basic somatic functions with intention. But more than control, Soma prioritizes awareness: visualizing biodata, setting safe usage boundaries, and forecasting recovery to avoid overreliance or damage.
Featuring three main modes—Stealth, Focus, and Delay—Soma helps users better manage uncomfortable or untimely bodily urges while encouraging reconnection with natural bodily rhythms. By blending speculative design with ethical interface decisions, Soma turns a taboo superpower into a conversation about autonomy, safety, and somatic literacy.
Track your somatic power use across time, whether you delayed, sped up, or paused a system.