Health, Engineering, Art, Robots & Technology

Health, Engineering, Art, Robots, & Technology (HEART) is an innovative and highly interdisciplinary project that develops new approaches to strengthen mental health and improve well-being for patients experiencing symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress using socially assistive robots. Working closely with the Nordjysk Center for Kultur og Sundhed (NOCKS) and Aalborg Kommune’s Kulturvitaminer program, we will develop a socially assistive robot designed to increase motivation and strengthen mental health through collaborative drawing and painting. Participants enrolled in Kulturvitaminer will participate in a series of workshops and interventions conducted by robotics researchers at the Human-Robot Interaction Lab at Aalborg University in collaboration with a professional artist. The project goal is twofold: 1) to develop a socially assistive robot that is capable of collaborative drawing with mental health patients and 2) to develop, implement, and promote new arts and cultural activities designed to strengthen mental health and improve well-being through increased confidence, communication and social skills.