Effectiveness of a companion robot in reducing teen anxiety through biometric monitoring and adaptive breathwork.

I am a robotics researcher at the National University of Singapore where I’m supervised by Professor Dean Ho (Chair of the Biomedical Engineering Department).

I am working on a research paper.

PAPER #1 SUMMARY

My research focuses on evaluating the effectiveness of a companion robot in reducing teen anxiety through biometric monitoring and adaptive breathwork. To achieve this, I am developing a desktop robot called Zuzi equipped with biometric sensors that measure physiological data. Using AI to analyze the sensor feedback, the robot will guide users through personalized breathwork patterns delivered via haptic movements, with its round body expanding and contracting in rhythm to support the breathing exercises.

I will be presenting a prototype of my emotional support robot Zuzi at Voices of the Future, Singapore’s inter-school debate on AI and Ethics, taking place in March 2026 at the ArtScience Museum.