Social Interaction, Health and Wellbeing

Social interaction, health and wellbeing are deeply interconnected.  This interdisciplinary theme is using the tools of psychology, cognitive science, computer science, biology and robotics to explore these interconnections.  

Our research is showing how the development of social connections during childhood can improve or impair responses to stressors and the critical importance of biological and social factors for the resilience, health and wellbeing of vulnerable populations such as refugee children. We have built practical, digital tools for improving communication between doctors and patients that have been tested in clinical trials, translated into 15 languages and are now used in 18 countries.  

We are exploring new frontiers in technologies for interaction by developing new intelligent systems and new capacities including sensory ‘skins’ that can unlock the sense of touch in human-robot interaction.  Our aim is to use this research to drive substantial positive impacts in people’s lives.

• Contact: Isabelle Mareschal