Authors:
Alessandro Plantera, Alice Mioni, Kristina Greco
No matter how many technology solutions are available today to support our health, certain taboos remain deeply rooted, preventing us from meaningfully engaging with sensitive health topics. Physical changes, for example, have been central to our relationship with our bodies since adolescence. During puberty, we experience difficult moments due to taboos and the lack of knowledge. Addressing the dynamics and consequences of those taboos is crucial for exercising designers' critical agency, especially in a health tech landscape where large language models are increasingly integrated into products and services, with the promises of unprecedented personalized and always available care. But are conversational technologies capable of sustaining meaningful conversations about intimate topics?
 | The prototype, 3D-printed with multicolored filament, uses an Arduino and LEDs for visual feedback, with distinct light patterns for start, idle, error, listening, speaking, sterilization, and premenstrual phases. |
Hebe is a provocative prototype we designed and coded that speculatively explores how conversational technologies can foster engagement around intimate health, particularly menstrual care, in ways that feel safe, approachable, and encouraging. It is designed to support girls in navigating puberty through shared reflection on sensitive topics and emerging needs. The design team aims to encourage a discussion on how future products that embed conversational capabilities might not only provide information but also facilitate an open dialogue around intimate topics that are often stigmatized.
 | Prototyped in Figma, the app provides a dynamic home screen with menstrual cycle tracking, flow status, cup state, stress checkpoints, and real-time feedback, ensuring safe usage, planning, and health tracking. |
The speculative kit includes an embodied conversational agent equipped with a UV sterilizer, two menstrual cups with smart biosensors, and a mobile app that provides support to menstruating youth interested in accessing and understanding data about their bodies. The app acts as a central hub and displays cycle data, flow levels, cup management, and a vibes checkpoint for emotional well-being, creating a supportive space for reflection and psychological comfort. This aligns with current trends in conversational technologies for health and well-being, where conversational agents also come with emotional support functionalities. Hebe's provocative prototype materializes a possible future service designed to help manage mood fluctuations, while providing a safe, judgment-free space to foster openness and positive body awareness for navigating a pivotal life moment with confidence.
The agent offers a carefully crafted conversational style, one that is casual, light, and friendly, creating the impression of talking to a peer and lowering the barrier for young people to engage in discussions about menstruation. In this, the project also invites us to reflect on whether designing conversational tones and style can become a form of activism that breaks down societal taboos surrounding intimate subjects. Can we foster a culture of allyship and self-compassion through the way we design human-AI conversations?
Authors
Alessandro Plantera is getting a master's degree in interaction design at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland. He combines technical skills and creativity to explore new forms of interaction and digital expression. [email protected]
Alice Mioni is a graduate student in the interaction design program at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland with a background in visual communication. She is passionate about exploring new technologies and experiences. [email protected]
Kristina Greco is a student in the master's program in interaction design at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland. Her interests include combining technology and design to create innovative solutions. [email protected]
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