Engineering for Emotional Wellbeing: University of Cumbria Brings DIDO Bot to Reality

Georgie’s DIDO Bots (Diagnosis and Affirmation Robot) is a creative concept designed to support people who may be experiencing anxiety, uncertainty or difficult circumstances. Created while she was in Year 4 at Croftlands Junior School, Georgie’s idea focused on using technology to provide reassurance, encouragement and positive affirmations to those who may be feeling worried, isolated or overwhelmed.

The University of Cumbria ProtoTeam chose this idea because of its strong social purpose and the empathy behind the design. While many engineering projects focus on practical or technical challenges, Georgie’s concept explored how engineering and technology can be used to support emotional wellbeing. The team saw an opportunity to develop a solution that demonstrated compassion while encouraging conversations about mental health and resilience.

Georgie’s vision was for a friendly companion that could offer comfort during periods of uncertainty, particularly for people awaiting important news or medical diagnoses. Rather than performing a physical task, the DIDO Bot was designed to interact with users in a positive and supportive way, helping to provide encouragement when it is needed most.

The prototype was developed by first-year BEng (Hons) Mechanical Engineering with Foundation Year students at the University of Cumbria, supported by a University Technician. Using the University’s engineering facilities in Barrow, the team designed and manufactured the robot’s acrylic body before integrating motors, LEDs and a printed circuit board to bring the concept to life.

Throughout the project, the team worked to transform Georgie’s original idea into an interactive and engaging prototype while maintaining its focus on wellbeing and positive support. The combination of movement, visual feedback and user interaction helped create a robot that reflects the welcoming and reassuring nature of Georgie’s vision.

The project also aligned closely with the values of Croftlands Junior School, including compassion, curiosity, creativity, kindness, resilience and respect. These themes are reflected throughout the design and contributed to the team’s decision to develop the idea into a working prototype.

The DIDO Bots project demonstrates how engineering can be used not only to solve physical challenges but also to support people emotionally. By combining creativity, technology and compassion, Georgie’s idea highlights the positive impact that young people’s ideas can have when developed into real-world engineering solutions.

The finished prototype was officially unveiled on 11th June at the Cumbria regional award ceremony hosted at Energus.

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