Design agency Morrama has developed a concept for a menopausal treatment service that would use artificial intelligence to tailor pills to help alleviate users' symptoms.

The Luma service would see users connect their smartwatch to an app, which uses artificial intelligence (AI) to build a bespoke profile and subscription plan for each person as they go through menopause.

"Taking inspiration from fertility tracking apps, Luma is an app that uses smartwatch and sensor data combined with manual inputs to build up a user's profile as they go through menopause," Morrama said.

"Combined, this information is used to automatically tailor the balance of ingredients in the 'magic compound' that is 3D-printed into pills and shipped out monthly," the studio explained.

The Luma app would track physical changes in temperature, heart rate and sleep levels. A machine-learning algorithm then crunches the user data and generates tailored questions about the user's well-being.

"By capturing things via a wearable, the app can know if the user has had a particularly tough day and prompt questions to probe a bit deeper into anything that may have triggered the symptoms," said founder and creative director of Morrama, Jo Barnard.

"This data capture helps build up a much broader picture of a woman's journey and will help brands identify patterns that can help unlock new ways of managing menopause," Barnard told Dezeen.

The data would inform which ingredients go into each of the supplements. Each pill would be made from a combination of three of four herbal ingredients – black cohosh plant, lion's mane mushroom, ginseng and the psychoactive compound tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

The pills would be 3D-printed in a similar fashion to printing a plastic part, which would allow different ingredients and amounts to be layered up according to the ratio required.

According to Barnard, each of the ingredients has been chosen for its ability to alleviate symptoms associated with menopause.

"An increasing number of studies are coming out showing clear evidence that THC provides significant relief for symptoms of menopause, particularly hot flashes, so this is the core ingredient," Barnard said.

"Lion's mane is a mushroom that is showing benefits in managing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, and protecting against dementia; it helps with brain function, particularly alertness and focus," she continued.

"Ginseng has been used for centuries to improve libido and black cohosh is a plant ingredient that is used as a herbal remedy for oestrogen-related conditions."

Each month's pills would come in either blister packs made from biodegradable cellulose fibre or a refillable, recyclable pouch.

The packaging combines a modern yet clinical identity, with a pink and cream colour scheme.

The concept is based on findings collected by Morrama's research arm Morrama Labs, which identified the growing demand for alternatives to hormonal-based menopausal treatment.

"Women going through menopause get little attention and there are a lot of talented women 45 and over leaving the workplace as they struggle to deal with the symptoms," said Barnard.

"In the UK, the main recommended treatment for menopause is hormone replacement therapy (HRT), however there are women who cannot, or choose not to take hormones and so we envisaged Luma as an alternative."

Morrama is a multidisciplinary agency that was founded in 2015. It often develops conceptual design projects, including a series of "smarter phone" concepts aimed at improving wellbeing.

Last year, it unveiled a concept for a Covid-19 test that is biodegradable and fully recyclable.

The images are courtesy of Morrama.