HEALTH & WELLNESS • USA • STARTUP
Companion Mobile Application
Immediate relief and improved sleep with bluetooth enabled temperature wristband
We built an engaging mobile companion app, which enables fast interaction with the Embr’s Wave® wristband that delivers precisely engineered cooling or warming waves for instant thermal relief and comfort.
10 Team members
2020 – Present Collaboration
10 Team members
2022-Present Collaboration
The Company and Product
The Wave is an intelligent wristband that cools or warms on demand to provide relief as a new category of safe and natural solutions to manage hot flashes, sleep issues, stress, and thermal discomfort.
The Wave’s mobile app gives the user more control over the Wave’s features, especially the means to personalize warming or cooling sensations. It acts as a companion app for the Wave wristband and can be used to control it through BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) connection.
Clinical studies in women with menopausal hot flashes showed that the Embr Wave relieved the thermal discomfort associated with hot flashes and helped women get better sleep.
I highly recommend this exceptional technical team – they have been key to the success of our business and have “been there” at critical moments when we need them.
Elizabeth Gazda
Scope and highlights
Build the MVP version of the mobile companion application for Embr Labs 2nd generation Wave device ᐧ Mobile & Cloud MVP
95K+
App Users
4.8 out of 5
App Store Average Rating
Mobile Application Development
Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) connectivity integration for seamless communication with the Embr Wave wristband.
Implementation of real-time temperature control features, allowing users to adjust and personalize to their desired warming or cooling sessions and sensations.
Optimization of the mobile app for both iOS and Android platforms, ensuring a consistent and high quality user experience across devices.
UI/UX Design Enhancement
Extension of the user interface (UI) provided by the client to ensure a visually appealing and intuitive mobile app experience.
Streamlining user flows and interactions to provide a seamless and engaging user experience when controlling the Embr Wave wristband.
Incorporation of modern design elements and intuitive gestures for easy navigation and interaction with the mobile app.
Cloud Architecture & Implementation
Design and implementation of a scalable and secure cloud infrastructure using Google Cloud Platform (GCP) to accommodate expected user demand.
Cloud backend manages firmware versions & updates for Embr Wave wristband, ensuring latest features are available for users.
Integration of BigQuery analytics database for advanced data querying, providing valuable insights into user behavior & product performance.
Embr Wave product is an design award winning product
Technologies
React Native
(iOS/Android)
Firebase
Bluetooth
Low Energy
NodeJS
Google Cloud
NoSQL
BigQuery
The Challenge
The project’s goal was a successful release of the mobile application in sync with Wave 2’s hardware development and retail release preparations.
Key challenges of the project:
- Validating React Native as a hybrid technology for consistent user experience on both iOS and Android devices, especially in relation to Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) connectivity.
- Synchronizing mobile app design and development with the new wristband’s hardware development lifecycle in order to meet the market release target.
- Conducting extensive QA testing of the mobile application and stress testing with the wristband to ensure a highly stable user experience across both iOS & Android devices.
The Process
As the development of Embr Labs’ second-generation product commenced, the client’s team leveraged their extensive experience and key learnings from the first generation product which provided valuable insights into the development process. The journey began with a thorough Discovery phase, during which Embr Labs shared their business expectations, objectives, and customer insights with the Salt&Pepper team. This was followed by a focused Design Phase, paving the way for the subsequent development phase.
UI/UX Design Process
The client’s Product Designer & Product Owner conducted extensive research, leveraging user personas to guide the design process. Collaborating closely with Salt&Pepper’s UI/UX Designer, a robust design system was implemented. Features were developed iteratively, incorporating user testing and feedback throughout the process. Figma prototypes facilitated user testing and streamlined decision-making. The focus was on achieving an aesthetically appealing and consistent app look, while prioritizing user experience. Through close collaboration with the Embr Labs team, optimal UI/UX solutions were identified, addressing key challenges and enhancing the overall product design.
Research
Extensive research was conducted to address UI/UX challenges, incorporating user feedback to define features. A user-centric design approach ensured optimal solutions, guided by valuable insights gathered throughout the process.
Design System
Collaboratively established a robust design system initiated by the client’s Product Designer and extended by Salt&Pepper’s UI/UX Designer. This comprehensive system optimized subsequent changes, providing greater clarity and time-saving benefits for the development team with consistent components throughout the app.
Prototyping
Developed interactive prototypes used for user testing and validating assumptions. These prototypes empowered the client to gather valuable insights and facilitated efficient decision-making by stakeholders onfeature optimization.
Cross-Platform Design
Implemented a cross-platform design approach that considered platform-specific UX requirements. The app seamlessly adapts to iOS and Android, delivering an optimized user experience while leveraging platform strengths for enhanced usability and engagement.
Development Process
Throughout the development process, a structured approach encompassing discovery and execution phases ensured project success. In the discovery phase, requirements were analyzed, a proof of concept was built, and a robust system architecture was designed. Thorough research informed the selection of an appropriate tech stack.
In the execution phase, features were developed iteratively based on user stories defined by the client’s Product Owner and technical decisions made by Salt&Pepper’s experienced team. Our primary focus was on establishing seamless communication between the wristband device, mobile app, and cloud services, while prioritizing an exceptional user experience.
Proof of Concept Validation
We built a Proof of Concept to ensure React Native’s suitability for the mobile app, especially for seamless communication with the wristband via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE).
System Architecture Design
Designed the overall system architecture and carefully selected the technology stack, ensuring a robust and scalable foundation for the project’s success.
Mobile App Development
Developed the feature-rich mobile application, leveraging React Native, to provide a user-friendly interface and seamless control over the Embr Wave wristband’s temperature and functionality.
Cloud Infrastructure Setup
Built a secure and scalable cloud infrastructure on Google Cloud, incorporating Firebase, Cloud Functions, Kubernetes, BigQuery and NoSQL databases. It enabled data management, firmware releases, and efficient DevOps practices.
Extensive QA & Stress Testing
Conducted rigorous quality assurance testing to ensure the mobile app’s compatibility with the wristband across iOS and Android devices. We also performed stress testing on the wristband device to make sure we have a reliable and stable user experience.
Agile Way of Working
Employing a SCRUM Agile methodology, we collaborated closely with the Embr Labs team, delivering work iteratively in two-week sprints. Regular reviews and demos ensured effective stakeholder management and alignment throughout the project.
The Outcome
The project team successfully delivered the Wave 2’s mobile application, aligning it seamlessly with hardware development, firmware updates, and product release to market. The Wave 2 wristband with its redesigned application enhances the user experience, offering valuable daily benefits and personalized insights that contribute to users’ overall well-being.
Embr Labs highly values the app as a “world-class product” and we continue to extend it with new features. It facilitated expansion into the UK market and boasts over 95,000 users with an impressive App Store rating of 4.8 out of 5.
Key factors that contributed to this project’s success:
- Close collaboration between Salt & Pepper and Embr Labs, with a focus on transparent communication ensuring effective coordination across multiple workstreams.
- Maintaining an open-source React Native library for Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communication, ensuring ongoing support and future compatibility.
- Employing a structured approach to validate assumptions, make informed decisions, and mitigate risks, particularly regarding the chosen technical solution.
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