NibbleBuddy: Multisensory Dining for Eating Disorder

This is an ongoing Research-through-Design project which introduces NibbleBuddy, a tangible system designed to support mindful eating and reflection for people with eating disorders (ED). The system consists of a fragmented plate with four sections of different material textures and a desktop soft robotic companion in the form of a hamster. Users interact with the plate and spoon dur- ing meals while the hamster guides them through brief mindfulness exercises and reflective prompts. The plate’s textures and embedded LED cues encourage attention to sensory elements of food, while the hamster provides a reflective, non-judgmental presence to facilitate self-awareness and engagement. This design explores how multisensory and tangible interactions can create meaningful and playful dining experiences, supporting reflection and wellbeing in everyday eating practices.