Stym — Sensory Stim Wearable

Stimming is regulation, not a problem.

Stimming — repetitive self-stimulation, often through fidgeting, rocking, or oral movement — is how many autistic people self-regulate. The problem isn't the behaviour; it's that the tools that exist for it tend to look conspicuous, infantilising, or therapeutic. Stym started from a different premise: design objects that pass for jewellery, that a kid would actually want to wear, that happen to be excellent stim toys.

Bracelet, pendant, ring — each tuned for a different stim.

I split the system across three forms because no single object can support every stim. The bracelet is built for tactile rubbing — its surface alternates between smooth and ridged so the same motion produces different sensations. The pendant is sized and finished for safe oral stimming — biting, chewing — using flexible, food-safe TPU. The ring is the discreet fidget option for when a child is in a setting where wearing a pendant might draw attention. The pieces talk to each other visually; you'd recognise them as a set without them feeling like a uniform.

Iterate, print, hand it to a kid, listen.

The form work was iterative. Every prototype got 3D-modelled in Blender, printed in flexible filament, and tested for grip, mouth-feel, durability, and — crucially — whether a child wanted to put it on. I worked with parents and therapists for feedback on portability, safety, and attachment style. Many early forms got rejected because they were trying too hard to look like 'design objects'; the final pieces succeeded because they got out of their own way.