Isabella Rosser
I'm a designer focused on sustainability and human-centred thinking, dedicated to crafting solutions that create lasting, positive impact for society and the planet.
Millions of UK professionals now share desk space every day with no fixed place to call their own, and the psychological cost of that invisibility builds until it has already taken its toll. Root was designed to address exactly that.
Root is an advanced stress detecting wearable designed for hot-desking professionals – quietly monitoring physiological signals throughout the working day and responding with a grounding haptic pulse before stress is consciously noticed.
The wearable detects physiological stress before you notice it, responding with a slow haptic pulse that grounds you silently at your desk.
Its design draws on biophilic principles at every level, from the cork composite outer shell to the asymmetric organic form, creating something that feels closer to nature than technology. The design also offers a tactile pattern for users to touch and feel in times of stress.
Every component inside ROOT works toward a single outcome — accurate, passive stress detection and a calibrated response delivered before the wearer notices anything themselves. The dual-sensor system cross-references two independent physiological signals to confirm a stress event, eliminating false positives. When confirmed, the response is triggered instantly.
ROOT works entirely on its own, but if you want to understand your day, the companion app is there.
Open it at any point and you will see your full stress arc, with every event and every haptic response mapped. Tap any moment for detail: your HRV drop, ROOT’s response, and how quickly you recovered. Five evidence-based calming techniques are available to continue what the haptic pulse already began. Everything stays on your device. Your employer sees only anonymised group trends. Your stress is yours.
Root’s packaging is fully recyclable. made from recycled kraft card, printed with water-based ink, and designed to produce as little waste as possible. Nothing inside the box is unnecessary.
Rooted in sustainability.
ROOT’s form emerged through a process of making rather than drawing. A series of clay models explored abstract organic shapes inspired by nature, testing how different profiles felt against the wrist and read at the scale of a professional wearable. Two directions were brought forward to 3D print at 1:1 scale and tested directly on the body across different placements. Alongside form, three fastening approaches were evaluated – a magnetic attachment on a silicone pad and a strap to understand how ROOT connected to the wrist. The asymmetric lobe form and the woven strap were confirmed as the final decisions and carried forward into material and component development.
