Compressent Co.

Designing for neurodiveristy

 
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WHO WE ARE

Compressent Co designs products to help people manage sensory overload by helping them regulate stimulation in a way that does not stigmatize them.

Compressent Co’s flagship product is an office chair that looks like any other but can help people who benefit from the calming effects of compression so they can stay engaged.

 
 

Background

There is an estimated global population of 70 million people on the autism spectrum—80% of whom are unemployed or severely underemployed. People on the spectrum are hypersensitive to light, taste, sound, smell and touch. For them, even the smallest stimuli can feel overwhelming. When their nervous systems get overloaded, it can cause a fight or flight response that disrupts workflow. Applying pressure on certain points in the nervous system, such as outer thighs and shoulders, can calm or prevent sensory overload. The Compressent Desk Chair is for people who experience overstimulation of the nervous system and need a calming mechanism to be productive in their everyday lives. Deep pressure touch, particularly when it can be self-controlled with Compressent, is a means of alleviating the need to calm down by disconnecting. Finding a way for this to be applied in everyday life led to designing the Compressent Desk Chair, a product that can be used—without stigma—in any work environment.

 

process

This venture is a continuation of my thesis work, which is expanded upon in the video.