Our project tackles loneliness among students with special needs; which often is invisible. By developing a smart monitoring system, schools can measure individual loneliness in the context in which these feelings arise in real time, and identify and examine subsequent intervention targets. Our unique co-design approach involves collaboration with experts, teachers, policymakers, and students (autistic and allistic) themselves. In co-design, we develop tools for schools to strengthen equity, alleviate loneliness and foster a sense of belonging. The outcomes of this project have the potential to bring transformative changes in education, health, and social integration, empowering students with special needs.

Much stress in the first 1000 days, from pregnancy to 2 years, can be harmful for life. HEALS Applied aims to detect such stress in young children at an early stage, and where necessary support the parents. HEALS Applied combines knowledge about co-creation and stress with the excellent Dutch preventive care during pregnancy and at well-child care, and develops new methods for early detection of harmful stress. HEALS Applied thus contributes to healthy and safe growing up of children, and provides new knowledge about stress; about sensors and biomarkers; about better support for parents; and about application in preventive care.

The Data2Game project investigates how, and to what extent, the efficacy of computerised training games can be enhanced by tailoring the training scenarios to the individual player. The research is performed in close collaboration with serious-game developers at Thales/T-Xchange and with Brandweer Twente for the purpose of enhancing the training efficacy of firefighters. The research is aimed at achieving three concrete research innovations: (1) techniques for the automated generation of in-game narratives that are tailored to the learning needs of the individual player, (2) techniques for the automated modelling of players’ cognitive and affective states, based on in-game data and exhibited social signals, such that the training scenarios can be tailored to the individual player, and (3) validated studies on the relation of the player behaviour and game properties to learning performance. To achieve these innovations the project combines expertise in three disciplines: language technology (specifically: text generation), artificial intelligence (specifically: player modelling and personalisation techniques), and science of teaching (specifically: game based learning and skills assessment). The project is structured such that there is a close collaboration between the involved disciplines, and research outcomes will be implemented and validated directly in the actual target domain: the training of firefighters. The project will yield a new version of the Fire Brigade training game for Brandweer Twente at least once every year. Iterative user evaluation and empirical studies will be performed at the Virtual Reality Lab (University of Twente), DAF Technology Lab (Tilburg University), and at TRONED (Twente Safety Campus).

We aim to acquire the iCub 2.0 robotic platform to investigate cognitive robotics, neurorobotics, social robotics and their integration. Cognitive robotics allows us to investigate cognitive abilities and the grounding of conceptual representations by means of the physical interactions of the iCub with its environment. Neurorobotics allows us to investigate neuronal learning processes based on these interactions. Social robotics allows us to investigate the social interactions between humans and robots, and the factors that determine the acceptance of robots by humans. The combination of cognitive robotics, neurorobotics and social robotics provides unique possibilities for the integration of these fields. The iCub allows us to test and investigate cognitive architectures and mechanisms by the direct execution of behavior in a physical environment, not just by simulation or analysis. Furthermore, the mechanisms involved concern the entire process from perception to action, instead of just a part of it (leaving open the question of how that part would fit in with the rest of the process). Comparing the behavior of the robot with that of humans allows us to test our models of the cognitive mechanisms that humans apply in similar tasks. We will use the robot to learn conceptual representations of its environment through the coordinated use of its senses and limbs. Understanding how the robot learns from interacting with its environment informs us about how humans could learn from similar experiences. The new capabilities of the iCub 2.0 (e.g., force control, optical flow, touch abilities) allow us to learn and investigate a range of novel conceptual representations. The successful development of robots will critically depend on whether humans accept robots in their environment and on how humans are able to interact with them in a safe and purposive manner. Conversely, the robot will have to learn its social behavior by interacting with humans. The iCub allows us to test and investigate human-robot dialogue based on the accurate detection of human non-verbal and verbal social behaviors and the real time behavioral responses of the robot. The iCub will allow us to address societal relevant contexts of robot applications such as health and care. The infrastructure for the iCub is provided for by the campus of the University of Twente, which guarantees the optimal use of the highly multidisciplinary research platform offered by the iCub. We provide access to and use of the iCub for other national research institutes.

The STRONGER2GETHER project supports youth flourish by strengthening social relationships, which are crucial for their mental health and well-being. Focusing on underrepresented groups such as vocational and special education students, we co-create and test interventions that promote positive relationships and youth flourishing in schools, online, and sports context. These insights will be integrated into the curricula of future professionals, enabling them to better support young people in their social and mental development. The project aims to create lasting societal impact by empowering educational environments to foster resilience and positive social connections for all youth.