Mijke the Matchbot: Bridging gaps with AI
Introducing Mijke, the Matchbot: a conversational AI designed to bridge the gap between individuals with low literacy and the support systems around them.
Hi, I’m Sichen, and I am currently pursuing an Engineering Doctorate (EngD) at Eindhoven Engine. With a background in Industrial Design and a strong focus on user experience (UX) and interaction design, I completed my master’s at Eindhoven University of Technology.
Currently, I work within the focus area of Inclusive Society. Here, I explore how AI can create more accessible and supportive environments for everyone. Our solution? Mijke, the Matchbot.
Breaking barriers with AI
My EngD project focuses on the development of Mijke from the Met Mij project. Mijke is a conversational AI chatbot designed to support NT1 (Dutch as a first language) adults with limited basic skills in accessing local services. Hosted on WhatsApp and powered by a large language model, Mijke offers both voice and text interaction. This reduces the barriers many users face with written communication.
The project explores five core challenges:
1. Clarity in communication
Ensuring the chatbot communicates clearly.
2. Emotional connection
Providing a supportive and empathetic interaction.
3. User-friendly design
Making the chatbot intuitive and user-friendly.
4. Multi-modal accessibility
Offering multiple modes of interaction.
5. Precision in support
Connecting users with the right help efficiently.
For more information about Mijke and the Met Mij project.
Addressing information inequality
Millions of people in the Netherlands struggle with basic literacy, numeracy, and digital skills. Mijke shows a possibility of solving this information inequality by offering a friendly experience tailored to the real-world needs of often overlooked people via Artificial Intelligence (AI). This work stands at the crossroads of technology, social equity, and public service innovation. It shows how AI can be used responsibly in human-centered design.
Empowering communities
To achieve these goals, I plan to run iterative user tests to gather insights and improve mijke’s usability. to help people with limited basic skills access support more easily and confidently. By doing so, I hope to decrease the workload of stakeholders, such as social workers, employees from municipalities, or public service staff. Additionally, I want to set a benchmark for evaluating AI recommendations in social public service contexts and contribute new knowledge and tools to the fields of human-computer interaction (HCI), accessibility, and digital inclusion.
This work stands at the crossroads of technology, social equity, and public service innovation, showing how AI can be used responsibly in human-centered design.
Following the success of the Dutch CBL Conference in 2023, the organization is thrilled to bring together educators, researchers, practitioners, industry leaders, and community stakeholders from around the world.
We are especially proud to feature our esteemed colleagues in Forum 2: Exploring CBL’s Ecosystem:
- Jessica Goss (Designer & Researcher, Eindhoven Engine), an expert in human-centered design and social innovation, will share her insights on tackling literacy challenges with AI-driven solutions for a more inclusive society.
- The session will be moderated by our scientific director, Maarten Steinbuch, ensuring a dynamic and insightful conversation.
Are you interested information?
Are you interested in Mijke the Matchbot or you would like to receive more information about?
Please leave your contact details via the contact button.
Mijke app further explained
The project focuses on smartly addressing grid congestion, improving connectivity and creating a sustainable testing ground for innovations. The battery plays a crucial role in optimizing energy flows on campus and enables sustainable growth.
This reveal is for invited guests only.
About the project
The project started with a feasibility study on market introduction. The mouth-nose mask is an innovative product that is made almost entirely (95%) from biological renewable raw materials: PLA with bio-PP for a filtering effect and recycled steel for the nose bridge. As the mouth-nose mask is 20-45% lighter, less raw materials are used.
The development and production of the new ProM mask will be more sustainable by using the knowledge and skills of previous in-house development and production processes combined with the knowledge and expertise of prominent Dutch scientific knowledge and training institutes.
Together, we aim for a sustainable future by making and keeping innovative, sustainable mouth-nose masks available for healthcare in the Netherlands and, where possible, the rest of Europe.
We have been able to produce a new affordable and sustainable FFP2 medical mask. These masks are ready to be tested and certified by the proper notified bodies in 2023 and may eventually be brought to the market.
This research is supported by Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO).
Other updates
Sustainable mouth/nose mask consortium successfully concluded
Media: Eindhoven Engine competes with cheap face masks from abroad
Accelerate by working together
About the project
In this research, Eindhoven Engine and its partners will focus on the development of sustainable medical isolation gowns that can be used multiple times: the ProH I-gown. In addition, an investigation will take place into how the production capacity can be made (economically) scalable and flexible when necessary.
These sustainable medical isolation gowns can save six tons of CO2 per million gowns. If these isolation gowns are fully utilized during crisis situations, the result could be a saving of 0.2% of the total plastic waste stream in the Netherlands. In addition, ProH I-gowns stimulate the production of protective clothing in Europe.
The execution of this research consists of two phases. Eindhoven Engine, research organization TNO and manufacturer HAVEP will carry out a technical feasibility assessment in the first phase. A business case will also be set up. The gowns will be made of woven PET material with an environmentally friendly coating. Research will also be carried out into the durability and wearability of these gowns. In phase two of the project, the concrete industrialization will be worked out in detail.
In the first and second quarter of 2022, HAVEP started the production of the sustainable medical isolation gowns. The gowns were tested in the Reinier de Graaf Gasthuis with positive results. The Life Cycle Analyses (LCA) also had a positive outcome. Due to the rapidly changing market, among other things, we have currently frozen the further development of ProH I-gowns.
This research is supported by Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO).
More project info
Phase 2 of SBIR project on sustainable medical isolation gowns gets started
Accelerate by working together