With increasing digitalization, children are engaging in offline play with others less frequently, resulting in heightened risks of loneliness, obesity, and underdeveloped social skills. Across Europe, this trend has contributed to the rise of an “anxious generation,” with mental health challenges linked to excessive social media exposure and declining face-to-face interactions.

While banning digital tools is not a viable solution – given their strong appeal and role in fostering digital literacy – emerging technologies offer an alternative approach. Robots, for instance, are increasingly recognized as effective mediators of interaction and play. Research highlights that children respond positively to robots, following their instructions and interacting with them as engaging, human-like playmates.

This project aims to develop a small, scalable, and autonomous ‘Playbot’ designed to inspire and facilitate play among children. Tailored to the weather, environment, personal preferences, and developmental needs, the Playbot will encourage children to engage in diverse offline activities together, fostering social connection and active play.

As a seed money initiative, this project will focus on creating and testing an initial prototype. The findings will identify critical knowledge gaps, key research and practical questions, and establish partnerships with European collaborators, laying the groundwork for a compelling and competitive Horizon grant application.

Project duration

1 Mar 2025 -31 Dec 2025

Project manager

dr Simone de Droog

Researchers

• prof. dr Somaya Ben Allouch
• Yuri Westplat MA, tutor at CMD and researcher at the lectorate Responsible IT (HvA)
• Pabo, Faculteit Onderwijs & Opvoeding | FOO (HvA)

Funding

Seedmoney of the Centre of Expertise Creative Innovation (CoECI)

In today’s fast-paced world, stress has become a common challenge, and while digital solutions like apps and wearables offer support, they can paradoxically increase anxiety through screen fatigue and constant notifications. Throughout history, tangible objects such as prayer beads, worry stones, and fidget toys have offered calming, haptic experiences to help people self-soothe.

Building on this tradition, the WarmStone project explores a low-tech, participatory approach to stress relief. Through ceramic-making workshops, participants create personalized “WarmStones”—handheld objects crafted to provide tactile comfort and promote mindfulness in everyday life. By examining the shapes, textures, and uses of these objects, the project aims to inform the design of future haptic tools that support emotional wellbeing.

WarmStone offers an opportunity to design and craft unique ceramic objects that fit naturally into daily life. Participants are guided through the process by professional ceramic artist Jiechen, and are encouraged to create handheld “WarmStones” , small, texture-rich pieces designed to provide calming and self-soothing experiences through touch.

In addition to these fidget-friendly objects, participants also have the chance to create an everyday ceramic item, such as a cup or mug, with personalized textures and designs that reflect their individual tactile preferences.

Project duration

1 Mar 2025 -31 Dec 2025

Project manager

dr Bin Yu

Researchers

prof. dr Somaya Ben Allouch

Students

Zixun Zhou, University of Amsterdam

Funding

Seedmoney of the Centre of Expertise Creative Innovation (CoECI)

Partners

• University of Amsterdam Digital Interaction Group
• Studio Boey
• Studio JieChen

Work-related chronic stress is often ignored in our busy workday life, but it has been increasingly causing severe health problems and raising the public cost for stress-related. diseases. Biofeedback technique enables individuals to see inside their body and self-regulate their physiology in a healthy direction. It has been widely considered to be effective in chronic stress management but has long been limited to clinical settings, requiring support from doctors, on-screen interactions, and intrusive sensors worn by users.

This project aims to develop ‘HeartSpace’, an immersive biofeedback system helping individuals reduce stress. HeartSpace couples the user’s physiological data with digital interactive elements, including projections, sounds, and lighting, to create a virtual reality within a physical space.

Within HeartSpace, we explore the design of diverse MR experiences, such as the sensation of floating on clouds or flying through mountain valleys, to evoke relaxation. The user’s first-person perspective of the visual environment and soundscape are controlled by the user’s heart rate variability as a form of biofeedback, guiding the users to achieve deep relaxation through self-regulation.

As a research probe, HeartSpace explores how a physiology-driven environment can support individuals in reconnecting with their bodies to enhance health and well-being.

Project duration

1 Mar 2025 -31 Dec 2025

Project manager

Stephanie Kramer MSc

Researchers

• prof. dr Somaya Ben Allouch
• dr Bin Yu
• Jaap Evenhuis, docent-onderzoeker CMD (HvA)
• Bart-Jan Steerenberg, docent-onderzoeker CMD (HvA)
• Immersive Lab Faculteit DMCI (HvA)

Funding

Zaaigelden Centre of Expertise Creative Innovation (CoECI)

Partners

• Institute of Creativity (TIOC)

Scientists agree that the number of people with dementia will only increase in the coming years. On top of that, dementia is currently not curable. The number of people with dementia will skyrocket, partly due to the ageing population in the future, to more than half a million by 2040. By 2050, the number of people with dementia is likely to peak at over 620,000 in the Netherlands.

Quality of life and autonomy

The new prototype Mr illi (a sequel to illi-tv) helps increase quality of life and autonomy for as many people with dementia as possible. It provides a place of rest, relaxation and recognition, but also invites activation. In addition, Mr illi relieves care professionals and informal carers. In this way, it ensures that people with dementia can continue to live (independently) at home for as long as possible, which also reduces care costs.

Digital tool

The Mr illi is an accessible television app aimed at people with dementia, giving users a responsible alternative to normal, yet often ‘busy’, television. When the Mr illi is turned on, it automatically starts up the user’s personal daily programme, consisting of videos, photos and music linked to his/her interests. Recalling memories works beneficial in depression, facilitating social contact, encouraging positive self-image, providing sensory stimulation and getting the brain working again. Even in advanced stages of memory loss, songs from the past and familiar imagery can loosen up a lot.

Using AI, Just In Time Adaptive Interventions are developed so that the resident is encouraged to eat, drink, take medication or go to bed at the right time, for example. This promotes the resident’s autonomy. You easily operate the Mr illi with your own remote control. Informal carers and care professionals can use the portal to remotely send messages, add reminders and keep an agenda for the elderly person with dementia.

In addition, there is currently no comparable app developed specifically for older people (with dementia). Because it is an app, it eliminates the need for hardware. This saves on maintenance and makes the product more scalable.

Research question

The central key question of this study is:
‘How can Mr illi contribute to improving the quality of life of people with dementia and their informal carers?’

Project duration

1 Mar 2024 -1 Dec 2024

Project manager

prof. dr Somaya Ben Allouch

Researchers

dr. Lamia Elloumi

Funding

Innovatiefonds Zorg en Welzijn Amstelveen

Partners

• illi Engineering B.V.
• Thuiszorgorganisatie Amstelring
• Gemeente Amstelveen

Chronic joint disorders are common conditions patients come to the physiotherapist or exercise therapist with. Conditions such as osteoarthritis and rheumatism cause problems in daily functioning due to pain and reduced mobility. Cure is often not possible, but promoting self-management can prevent exacerbation.

Self-management refers to an individual’s abilities to manage the symptoms, treatment, physical and psychological consequences and lifestyle changes associated with a chronic condition.

Exercise therapists and physiotherapists play a central role in supporting self-management in patients with joint disorders. The deployment of online applications, including mobile applications, and online platforms, aimed at promoting self-management (defined in this proposal as Behavioural Intervention Technologies: BITs) can support patients with chronic joint diseases.

Here, it is crucial that BITs match users’ needs. Moreover, using BITs to support self-management requires a different way of working from professionals and adjustments in required competences, both from the client and professional.

However, for many professionals it is unclear how BITs can be used to increase self-management and how this can be combined with physical counselling. Therefore, in this two-year project, we investigate how exercise and physical therapists can shape coaching on self-management through BITs.

The central question in this study is:
‘In what ways can physio & remedial therapists use online applications to coach patients with chronic joint disorders in the best possible way to increase their self-management skills?’

Project duration

1 Oct 2023 -1 Oct 2025

Project manager

Daniel Bossen, Faculteit Gezondheid, Hogeschool van Amsterdam

Researchers

prof. dr Somaya Ben Allouch

Stephanie Kramer MSc

Tamara V. Pinos Cisneros

Funding

SIA RAAK Publiek

Partners

• Reade
• Amsterdam UMC
• Hogeschool Utrecht
• Nationale Vereniging ReumaZorg Nederland
• GGD Amsterdam
• Hogeschool Arnhem Nijmegen (HAN)
• ReumanetNL
• Erasmus MC
• De Vereniging van Oefentherapeuten Cesar en Mensendieck (VvOCM)
• Koninklijk Nederlands Genootschap voor Fysiotherapie (KNGF)
• HealhTrain
• Hogeschool van Rotterdam (HR)
• Dijklander ziekenhuis, Reumatologie
• Fysiotherapie Collectief Amsterdam
• Netwerk Oefentherapeuten Amsterdam

Robert Memelink, one of the project leaders: ‘I imagine that participants will decide with their healthcare provider what they want to focus on after the lifestyle program has ended. How to achieve and maintain their goals. In this way we stimulate the health and independence of the elderly in the long term.’

Lifestyle intervention

Based on the PROBE research the Nutrition and Exercise research group developed the multidisciplinary lifestyle intervention 2Do. Target group: Overweight or obese people aged 55+ and type 2 diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance. Dietitians offer the 2Do lifestyle intervention in close collaboration with physiotherapists or personal trainers. During the intervention, clients work intensively for 13 weeks to improve their blood sugar levels through the loss of fat mass and the maintenance and use of muscle mass. This is done through individual and group meetings and strength training. After completing the intervention, the dietician can offer the client a tailor-made follow-up programme. Support in this follow-up phase may reduce the risk of relapse. By digitizing 2Do, clients become familiar with the digital lifestyle intervention during the program. This increases the chance of maintaining the changed lifestyle.

Goal

Developing a digital version of the existing lifestyle intervention 2Do. With a digital version, dietitians can also support participants in the intervention after the program has ended in losing weight or maintaining a healthy weight while retaining muscle mass.

Method

Based on literature, knowledge from other projects and experiences of healthcare professionals who already use 2Do, the project team maps out which requirements the digital version must meet. Researchers then design the digital version and build it together with partner Chippr on the basis of the existing digital platform of the HvA research group People in Movement (MiB).

Expected results

A digital version of the existing lifestyle intervention 2Do. This version is in line with the existing MiB platform, on which, for example, the intervention for the ‘SO-NUTS project’ is based. Researchers at 2Do2Digital are developing a protein module on the MiB platform that allows participants to track and evaluate their protein intake.

What is the expected social impact?

The digital version of 2Do gives dieticians extra options to guide their clients through lifestyle changes. The digital version is especially helpful when guiding clients during the maintenance phase. Dieticians can schedule sufficient contact moments in this phase while reducing the contact time. The client can continue more and more independently.

How does the project contribute to education and research?

The project team involves students graduating from the Nutrition and Dietetics study program in the literature study. At a later stage, students from the Communication and Multimedia Design (CMD) program may also participate in the design of parts of the digital tool. In addition, the project team is collaborating with the App n protein research, in which protein intake also plays an important role.

Project duration

1 Feb 2023 -31 Dec 2023

Project manager

Annette Brons

Robert Memelink, Faculteit BSV, HvA

Researchers

Vincent Vijn

Robert Memelink

Funding

Urban Vitality Stimuleringsgeld

Partners

• Chippr

Digital nature can contribute to feelings of belonging for frail elderly people and can thus combat social isolation and loneliness. However, the preferences for specific nature scenes are very context-dependent. You can think of both the physical context (for example, a distinction between public space and private space) and mobility problems that determine the extent to which specific needs (for example, the need for a safe, predictable environment) come to the fore.

The aim of this research is therefore to integrate the knowledge gained in the project 'Growing Roots' into a working prototype within which the autonomy of the user, and related needs, by variation in scenes and explicit choices regarding type of environment and navigation options.

This research project will lead to a working ‘proof of concept’ that is not only suitable for evaluation in the intended context with the intended target group (vulnerable elderly in the care centre), but which can also be translated into the home context. With this we want to meet the increasingly urgent demand for interventions that support care in one’s own living environment.

There are many opportunities for sustainability: in addition to the primary goal (combating loneliness by creating feelings of belonging), we also see many additional benefits such as creating opportunities to relax (and additional relief for healthcare staff) , the facilitation of ‘watching together’ (where nature serves as a ‘conversation starter’ instead of care staff who have to make a lot of effort to get social interactions going), and the creation of aesthetic pleasure (another important need that the difficulty of visiting museums and the like is also compromised).

It is therefore important to provide the prototype with an open character, so that we can also show existing art (such as landscapes by old masters or modern variants by David Hockney) or webcam feeds of natural pearls.

Project duration

1 Nov 2022 -1 Aug 2023

Project manager

Thomas van Rompay, Universiteit Twente

Researchers

prof. dr Somaya Ben Allouch

Funding

ZonMw

Partners

• TexTown Games
• Sint Maarten
• TechMed Centre

CAUSE
The problem addressed by this research project is the high workload of care professionals in dementia care. Due to an increase in the number of elderly people with dementia, the demand for care is increasing, while the shortage of care professionals is growing. This workload can be greatly reduced by using smart technological innovations such as an Intelligent Care Environment.

HOW DOES AN INTELLIGENT CARE ENVIRONMENT WORK?
An Intelligent Care Environment uses sensor techniques and uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to deliver personalized care by identifying and responding to care needs. The Intelligent Care Environment works together with the care professional. This solution direction is further elaborated in this project together with four healthcare parties and three innovative SME organisations.

Just-in-time adaptive interventions (JITAI) are developed based on the case ‘Support with food and drink’, so that the healthcare professional is supported in performing certain care tasks.
An example of an intervention is giving the person-adjusted sensory stimuli (sounds, lights and projections) at the right time that stimulate seniors to eat. Such interventions reduce the pressure on the healthcare professional and improve the quality of care.

ATTENTION TO HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS
Not only the integration of the AI ​​modules is important, but also how the AI ​​is ‘shown’ to the healthcare professional. That is why this project also pays extra attention to the interaction between healthcare professionals and the Intelligent Healthcare Environment, which increases ease of use and allows both client and healthcare professional to experience a higher degree of autonomy.

By further developing the prototype of the Intelligent Care Environment in healthcare institutions in collaboration with various healthcare professionals and paying attention to the development of AI and Interaction with the system, the wishes and needs of the healthcare professionals can be integrated into the Intelligent Care Environment. This is done in three iterations, with the three successive available living labs becoming increasingly complex and realistic.

The project has been featured in the first press newsletter of the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (2025).

Project duration

1 Jul 2022 -1 Jul 2024

Project manager

Stephanie Kramer MSc

Researchers

prof. dr Somaya Ben Allouch

drs Monique Schaule Jullens

dr Michel Oey

Wen-Tseng Chang

Saskia Robben

Funding

RAAK-Publiek (Regieorgaan SIA)

Partners

• Lectoraat Digital Life – Hogeschool van Amsterdam
• Lectoraat Architecture in Health – Hogeschool Arnhem Nijmegen
• Leerstoel Intelligent Systems – Universiteit Utrecht
• Smart Architectural Technologies – TUe
• DrieGasthuizenGroep
• ZuidZorg
• Woonzorg Flevoland
• Zorgcentra De Betuwe
• Beroepsvereniging V&VN
• Smartfloor
• illi-tv
• We Are Good Good Not Bad

Social contacts and encounters in the neighbourhood are important for the people who live there. It also encourages community residents to live together and, in particular, people with early dementia. Artificial Intelligence artworks are rich in interaction and promote social contact, but in practice many dilemmas arise where democratic participation is at stake. The project ‘It takes a village to grow old’ emphasizes the importance of working together with citizens on a dementia-friendly neighbourhood.

The aim is to conduct research together with the Vondel/Helmersbuurt in Amsterdam into AI art objects in public space to stimulate encounters between people (with and without dementia) in the neighbourhood. The project responds to the need of people with dementia to continue living at home in the neighbourhood where they feel comfortable and safe.

The evaluation is also carried out jointly, looking at the effect of the AI art interventions on social interaction in the neighbourhood. In this way, the project uses the experiential knowledge of citizens (with dementia) as well as professional knowledge (care and welfare, AI and art), and academic knowledge (citizen participation, AI and smart living environment) to design meeting places in this neighbourhood.

In the project we want to learn in practice how participatory work towards a dementia-friendly neighbourhood takes shape between all participants. The starting point is that this process in itself already has added value for interaction in the neighbourhood. The project thus explores the dynamics between AI art interventions, place-making and social health based on the citizens science approach.

The research leads to: 1) (design) principles for social interaction between local residents (with dementia), 2) AI art interventions, 3) strategies to design public space together with citizens so that public familiarity and experienced neighbourliness are promoted and 4 ) validity criteria including the ethics of participatory design.

Concreet resultaat na twee jaar

Een mooi voorbeeld van de doorwerking van dit project in de praktijk is ‘Het Buurtverhalenbankje’ geworden. Op de website van Stadsdorp Vondel/Helmers vind je een artikel met meer achtergrondinformatie.

Image & Video

Publications

Validity of Citizen Science: A qualitative and arts-based evaluation from the perspectives of citizens, academics, artists and ICT-specialists

(2024 )Tamar Shahinian, Leonie van Buuren, Marja Peltenburg, Marlene Hoynk, Dannie van Bemmel, Somaya Ben Allouch, Masi Mohammadi, Saskia Robben, Marwan El Morabet & Barbara Groot-SluijsmansProceedings of SHE’24 download

Project duration

4 Apr 2022 -4 Apr 2024

Project manager

prof. dr. ir. Masi Mohammadi, Technische Universiteit Eindhoven

Researchers

prof. dr Somaya Ben Allouch

Saskia Robben

Marwan el Morabet – Hogeschool van Amsterdam

Funding

ZonMw Citizen Science voor Gezondheid en Zorg

Partners

• Leyden Academy on Vitality and Aging
• Cliëntenbelang Amsterdam
• Technische Universiteit Eindhoven
• Stichting Mantelzorg en Dementie
• WG Kunst
• illi-tv
• Stadsdorp Vondel/Helmersbuurt

The aim of the extension request is therefore to continue this trajectory and arrive at a model of sustainable deployment of social robot ‘Pepper’ on PG wards. It will be examined what effects occur on a PG ward and whether there are any differences from those previously found.

The user is both the care professional and the resident with the diagnosis of dementia, Providing care to this client population can be intensive and requires a lot of supervision and individual attention: the behavior of clients can turn into incomprehension, restless behavior and even (mild) panic. Fellow residents are inconvenienced by this and may also become restless. Sufficient time and/or the right attention are essential. For the healthcare professional, things such as unrest, work pressure and stress, and sometimes also a lack of time, are a cause for not being able to properly perform daily activities as desired.

Can social robots contribute to reducing the workload for the healthcare worker and improving the well-being (e.g. reducing anxiety) of the client?

Social robots offer new opportunities and can add value to healthcare; It is known from international scientific literature that social robots can monitor the health of the elderly, support their physical and cognitive health and can contribute to a better general well-being. The use of robotics is particularly promising for elderly people with dementia.

ZorgAccent is an organization that is very innovative and wants to investigate what will be possible in the future and what robotics can mean in elderly care, but also what the qualitative and quantitative effects are for both care providers and clients and residents. Due to the increasing demand for care and the increasing shortage on the labor market, ZorgAccent feels socially responsible to look for innovation and technological solutions that either solve problems or that make problems smaller. It has also been shown that when healthcare workers embrace innovation (robotics), the chance of success increases. ‘It comes from the employees, it is from the employees and it becomes the employees’.

The long-term cooperation between the partners is continued with this application.

Project duration

1 Jan 2022 -1 Sep 2024

Project manager

prof. dr Somaya Ben Allouch

Researchers

dr. Lamia Elloumi

prof. dr Somaya Ben Allouch

Funding

Wet Langdurige Zorg (WLZ)

Partners

• DigiNova B.V.
• ZorgAccent