Available to talk. Anytime.

EVO is a humanoid therapist robot designed to address the problem of lengthy waiting times for therapy appointments. It offers personalized and compassionate therapy sessions 24/7, both online and in person, providing timely support and guidance to individuals in need. The goal of EVO is to bridge the gap in accessing mental health support and revolutionize the way people can access therapy, making it more accessible and readily available whenever they require emotional assistance.

The Process.

The development of EVO involved a collaborative effort with pi4 robotics, leveraging their expertise in humanoid robotics. Key to EVO's development was the integration of insights from psychology experts, ensuring the robot's design and therapy approach were both approachable and effective. Extensive user testing across various groups was crucial. The result is a robot that combines advanced technology with a human-like presence, offering accessible, 24/7 mental health support and revolutionizing the way therapy is delivered.

Background

We have a global mental health crisis, especially in the younger generation, there has been a 60% increase in mental health cases during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the urgent need for effective solutions.
The desperate need for therapy spots is underscored by the current average waiting time of five months, indicating a significant gap in mental health care accessibility.
Although the acceptance of humanoid robots remains a challenging topic, their potential to significantly support important matters like mental health care is immense when their integration is handled correctly.

The Testing

Using VR technology, we determined EVO's ideal height to be non-intimidating yet authoritative, ensuring it is taken seriously without appearing child-like.
We developed a face-like UI for EVO that provides visual feedback to users, with distinct active and passive interfaces for when EVO is listening or speaking.
EVO's personality, tested with a costume version of ChatGPT, was refined through extensive user testing with various groups, assessing the acceptance of a humanoid robot as a conversational partner.

The Details

EVO features a two-color body design, separating the 'pants' and 'upper body', which gives the illusion of it wearing clothes, enhancing its human-like appearance and relatability.
EVO's main body is covered with a soft mesh material that replicates the gentle touch of human skin, while maintaining a texture distinct enough to be clearly non-human.
Positioned behind a 3D curved stained glass, EVO's face UI on an OLED screen provides users with visual emotions and reactions, making interactions feel more human-like.