Flow — macOS Cognitive Load & Focus Companion

Flow is a macOS app that visualizes cognitive load in real time — turning attention into something you can see, feel, and gently recover from. Designed for the Swift Student Challenge 2026, it acts not as a productivity tracker, but as a mirror for attention.

The experience is intentionally calm, minimal, and premium — designed to feel unmistakably Apple-like. Every animation, sound, and interaction is purposeful.

✨ Features

• Living Focus Orb: A dynamic orb that breathes, pulses, glows, and distorts based on your current cognitive load. Rendered entirely with SwiftUI Canvas.
• Dynamic Color System: UI colors shift smoothly across a perceptual HSB spectrum from calm (deep blue) to overloaded (red).
• Real-Time Attention Tracking: Log distractions (App Switches, Notifications, Mind Wandering) to see their immediate impact on your cognitive load.
• Focus Mode: A dedicated mode featuring a 4-7-8 breathing guide, accelerating cognitive recovery while minimizing distractions.
• Smart Recovery: Automatic guided breathing interventions when your cognitive load exceeds healthy limits.
• Session Summaries: Beautifully crafted session cards providing insights, emotional reflections, and estimated recovery costs.
• 7-Day History: Keep track of your average & peak cognitive load across the week.
• Subtle Haptics & Audio: Programmatically generated ambient audio and CoreHaptics provide non-intrusive feedback.
• Local Keyboard Shortcuts: Sandbox-safe shortcuts for quick logging (Space to log mind wandering, ⌘1/2/3 for events, ⌘F for focus toggle).
• Built-in Demo Mode: On first launch, the app automatically simulates a session (fading out upon interaction) so you can quickly see the full visual range.

🛠️ Technology Stack

• Language: Swift 6
• Framework: SwiftUI
• Target: macOS 15+ (Compatible with macOS 26 / Xcode 26)
• Project Format: Xcode App Playground (.swiftpm)
• Key APIs: Swift Charts, Canvas + TimelineView, AVFoundation, CoreHaptics

🚀 How to Run the Project

Since Flow is built as an Xcode App Playground (.swiftpm), the setup process is extremely simple. No external dependencies or package managers are required.

Prerequisites

• A Mac running macOS 15 or later.
• Xcode 16 or later (ideally Xcode 26 beta for the WWDC26 target).

Steps

1. Open the Project:

   • Locate the Flow.swiftpm folder inside the project directory.
   • Double-click the Flow.swiftpm folder, or open Xcode and select File > Open, then choose Flow.swiftpm.

2. Select the Target:

   • In Xcode, ensure the Flow target is selected at the top in the scheme menu.
   • Choose My Mac as the run destination.

3. Build and Run:

   • Press Cmd + R (⌘R) or click the Play button in the Xcode toolbar.
   • The app will compile quickly and launch on your Mac.

Exploration Tips

• Demo Mode: When you first run the app and complete the short onboarding, wait a few seconds without clicking anything. Flow will automatically inject simulated events to quickly demonstrate the orb's color, pulse, and distortion changes.
• Quick Logging: Use Cmd+1, Cmd+2, or Cmd+3 to quickly log distraction events while the app window is focused.
• Recovery: Rapidly log events to push your score over 85 to see the automatic Smart Recovery breathing guide.