What do you get when you combine a passion for wellness with the desire to use data to improve the human experience? That would be Arigami, a hybrid business consultancy dedicated to wellbeing and the senses. The company focuses on personal and collective transformation, using an evidence-based approach to help its partners design campaigns, reports, prototypes and solutions that push the boundaries of science, technology and wellbeing. Through Arigami, Peralta partners with scientists, sensory experts, artists and large companies to research and create smart, immersive wellness tools and solutions. Recent work includes “Breathing Room,” a platform that integrates guided breathing exercises with biofeedback to increase resilience; “Memory Lane,” a non-pharmaceutical “art intervention” designed to improve health and cognition for dementia patients; and “Hotel Designs Lab,” a collaboration with the website Hotel Designs to research ways to help hospitality wellness reach beyond the spa.
PROUDEST ACHIEVEMENT OF THE PAST YEAR
Each year, I teach students from design backgrounds about wellbeing tech, research design and multisensory design. This year, we had a record number of students with an interest in wellbeing, mental health and human connection. This is what I am proud of; the next generation of problem solvers has arrived.
A PIECE OF MEDIA THAT INSPIRED ME RECENTLY
Recently, I have been deep diving in past sci-fi novels written in the 1960s. One of my favorites has to be Solaris by Stanislaw Lem. Last year, we developed a community outreach program for people of all ages in partnership with SciArt Exchange (non-profit), and many NASA superstars. “Design Your Habitat” brought together artists, designers, architects, engineers, astrophysicists, astronauts and so many more to talk about the future of human habitats beyond earth.
FUN FACT ABOUT ME
I was born and raised in the Dominican Republic.
