Anxiety, depression, sensory disorders - these are not just words that float in social media and are seen in the medical special of Nat Geo. They have become a prevalent reality. They are something a large number of us are dealing with. Looking into the lives of those around us and realizing the paralyzing reality of their lives that they have something of this magnitude that they deal with all day, everyday is an eye opener. It pushed me to try and create something simple, something effortlessly adoptable and something that will work on everyone. Inclusive and something that dos not make the user feel like they are using an aid. It needs to make the user feel loved and most of all NORMAL. Give them a companion and not a medical aid.

After extensive research, I came to the conclusion that a hug is the most effective and also the most scarce in such situations. Hugging increases serotonin and dopamine levels and uplifts mood. It relaxes muscles and increases blood circulation. It presses against the breast bone and activates the thyroid causing increase in production of WBC's, improving immunity. A treatment called "deep pressure therapy" according to which by increasing the amount of tactile stimulus (using nonliving things) one desensitizes the person dealing with tactile defensiveness and makes them comfortable with the idea of human touch. It also helps them concentrate and allows them to handle their reaction to excess sensory stimulus.

It took a lot of trials and tests to get the mechanism to work just the way a hug would, making Oub reciprocate the pressure with which one hugs it and arriving at a form that allows us to be cradled as we were back when we were children.

Oub helps us hug our worries away. hug for health and happiness :)