Google Nidra
Work in Progress
Loneliness is a growing global epidemic, affecting millions of people each year as increased global mobility separates individuals from their families and support networks, and living abroad for work and education becomes increasingly common. Google Nidra is a device that helps people take control over the contents of their dreams, enabling them to reconsolidate positive memories, or even relive special moments of someone they love - all during sleep.
Timeline
Ongoing - 4 Weeks
Spring 2026
Skills
System Thinking
Brand-Driven Design
User-Centered Research
Prototyping
User Testing
Imagine a future where you can relive your favorite memories of the people you love.
Minority Report (2002)
Form studies to explore what Google feels like as a brand, especially in a bedroom setting. Many different non-screen based interactions were explored.
Google Nidra is a bedside device that enables users to control the contents of their dreams through sound.
Bridge the Distance
Be with your family, no matter where they are. Nidra creates vivid experiences that help you feel like you're really there - not looking through a small rectangle of pixels. Wake up in a better mood, with a dream worth sharing.
A Working Prototype
Powered by Google Photos and Gemini, Nidra enables you to consolidate memories and reflect upon the past—without disturbing your natural sleep patterns. This is done through a combination of REM sleep tracking playing dream-inducing soundscapes created from audio clips in your photo library.
How might we design a form of humanistic technology that celebrates emotion and the experience of living?
Work in progress.
© 2025 Kevin Xu