DUSQ: Gen 2
Sleep tracking Wearable
OVERVIEW
DUSQ is a sleep recovery platform built around vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), combining sleep tracking, environmental sensing, and active intervention into a single wearable experience. Designed to sit discreetly behind the ear, the product introduces a new category of sleep technology that goes beyond monitoring to actively improve recovery.
we worked closely with the team across both Generation 1 and Generation 2 of the product, leading the industrial design of the wearable, charging ecosystem, and packaging experience. While Gen 1 was developed to validate the technology and gather user insights, Gen 2 was reimagined as a premium consumer product built to compete with established players such as Whoop, Oura, and Ultrahuman in the US market.
Outcome
The project helped transform an early-stage concept into a commercially viable product platform.
Generation 1 successfully validated the technology through a closed user group, generating critical feedback that shaped future development. Building on these learnings, Generation 2 elevated the product through refined industrial design, engineering integration, and a premium user experience.
The product contributed to securing over $4 million in funding and surpassed $1 million in Kickstarter revenue within its first week of launch. More importantly, it established a distinctive position in the sleep recovery market by combining tracking, environmental awareness, and active sleep intervention within a single ecosystem.
Challenge
Designing a wearable that sits behind the ear introduced a unique set of ergonomic, technical, and manufacturing challenges. Unlike conventional wearables, the product required a completely new interaction model while maintaining comfort throughout the night.
Generation 1 was developed under tight resource constraints and focused on validating both the technology and user behaviour. Generation 2 raised the bar significantly, requiring a premium level of execution across design, materials, engineering, and manufacturing in order to compete in the US health-tech market.
The challenge was not simply to create another sleep tracker, but to define an entirely new product experience that could communicate trust, sophistication, and technical credibility while remaining intuitive and comfortable to use.
Approach
The design strategy centered around creating a product that felt purposeful, premium, and technologically advanced without appearing overly medical or complex.
Drawing inspiration from the clarity and restraint of leading consumer technology brands, the design focused on minimal geometry, carefully selected materials, and a highly considered user journey. Every aspect of the experience, from the wearable itself to the charging case and packaging, was designed as part of a cohesive ecosystem.
Significant effort was invested in ergonomics, manufacturability, performance, and long-term usability. The final solution balances technical sophistication with simplicity, allowing the technology to remain invisible while delivering a seamless recovery experience.
A key innovation emerged through the charging architecture, where the electroplated logo was transformed into a fully functional charging interface using pogo-pin technology. The charging case itself evolved beyond storage, incorporating environmental sensing capabilities that help assess conditions affecting sleep quality. Combined with a remarkably thin 12 mm device profile and a durable titanium-and-textured-polymer construction, the result is a product engineered to feel both premium and highly purposeful.