Where It Began
Calmstone’s story began at UC Santa Barbara, where Dr. Franklin Ly completed his Ph.D. under the guidance of Chancellor Henry T. Yang. Through Chancellor Yang, Franklin was introduced to Dr. Paul Hansma and became involved in research inspired by Hansma’s experience with chronic pain. This work sparked Franklin’s interest in the connection between the mind, body, and physiological feedback — and how biofeedback could make those changes easier to recognize and understand.
Building Calmstone
Franklin began exploring a simpler way to bring biofeedback outside of traditional clinical settings. By translating changes in hand temperature into easy-to-understand visual feedback, the idea for a small, approachable handheld device began to take shape. In 2023, that idea became Calmstone.
A New Chapter
As Calmstone was taking shape, Franklin and his partner Chanel were also becoming first-time parents. Parenthood made the mission feel even more personal: wellness tools needed to be simple, accessible, and realistic enough to fit into everyday life.
The Goal: Make Calm More Accessible
Today, Calmstone is designed to make biofeedback more approachable for everyday wellness — giving people a simple way to slow down, practice intentional breathing, and reconnect with their body’s signals.
Calmstone
