Engineering for Peace of Mind

How does your artwork depict the contribution of engineers to a better world?

In 2019, more than 970 million people around the world were affected by mental health issues, which rose from the 12th to the 5th leading cause of global health loss between 1990 and 2023. Mental health issues are often overlooked because they are invisible, but they have become a global issue. I wanted my artwork to focus on how engineering can make those invisible struggles more visible and manageable. My artwork emphasizes the contribution of engineers to a better world by portraying diverse fields of engineering, including signal processing engineering, AI and machine learning engineering, and mechanical engineering, to address mental health issues. 
In the top center of the artwork, a signal processing engineer interprets the student's raw physiological signals, such as heart rate waves, voice patterns, and digital behaviors, and removes noise that does not reflect the student's actual mental state. This engineer transforms unstructured data into more structured data and passes it down to the AI and machine learning engineer for thorough analysis and prediction.
The bottom left side of the artwork represents the AI and machine learning engineering. The AI and machine learning engineer, virtually communicating with the student, uses AI to analyze patterns from data such as heart rate changes, voice patterns, digital behavior, and physical actions to meticulously calculate the mental health score. An AI model is trained on this data to predict and recognize the early signs of mental issues and provide support before the situation becomes severe. 
The image of a young girl inside the circle portrays an individual whose mental state is being observed and supported through technology. The colorful waveform behind her represents changes in her mental condition over time, with a thin white line connecting to various nodes, resembling an AI-powered network. I chose a waveform because it demonstrates continuous movement and fluctuation, similar to how emotions and mental health shift throughout the day. 
The mechanical engineer at the bottom right edge of the artwork contributes by designing ergonomic devices and wearable tools that can accurately track the student's mental health conditions from multiple angles. The personal companion pebble next to the mechanical engineer, for instance, uses a continuously updating AI model to detect the user’s mood changes and respond by altering its color and temperature. This invention helps transform invisible struggles into visible signals, validating the user’s emotions and allowing their condition to be more objectively recognized and addressed.
Incorporating three different engineering disciplines - signal processing, AI and machine learning, and mechanical engineering - highlights how engineers from different fields collaborate to resolve mental health issues. Ultimately, I wanted to emphasize that engineers not only solve hard technical problems but also support people’s well-being to contribute to a healthier and more understanding world.

Describe how you think viewers from at least two different audiences might view or interpret your work.

Those who are already comfortable using digital technology to track and improve their physical health may agree with this idea of thoroughly measuring one's mental health and solving it with engineering. People who regularly track sleep quality, exercise scores, or heart rate are often open to tracking their mental health as well. For this audience, measuring mental well-being can feel like a natural extension of tools they already trust to improve their overall health.
On the other hand, some viewers might feel uncomfortable with the idea of using technology to measure mental health. For them, constantly tracking data can feel overwhelming. Measuring every detail of daily life may turn into pressure or obsession, which could actually make mental health worse instead of better. From this point of view, taking a step back from technology might seem like a healthier way to deal with mental health issues.
Privacy can also be a concern, since the AI tool constantly tracks the user’s sensitive data, such as location, voice patterns, digital footsteps, and action patterns. Some people may be concerned about accidentally disclosing their personal information publicly. If sensitive data, such as daily routines are accessed by the wrong people, it could be misused. This can lead to fears of being monitored or followed, or of having personal safety compromised.
Nevertheless, younger generations are digital natives who spend a large amount of time using various digital devices. Since technology is already deeply embedded in today’s lives, it makes sense to take advantage of it to address problems like mental health. The real question is not whether we should use technology, but how we use it. I believe engineers are capable of designing tools and technology that can help address mental health challenges while not overwhelming the users and encroaching on their privacy.

Briefly describe the materials you used and the process you went through to create your piece.

At the beginning, I brainstormed ways to show how signal processing engineers, AI and machine learning engineers, and mechanical engineers collaborate to address the mental health crisis.
I first sketched two different composition ideas with a pencil, placing the user image at the center and surrounding it with the contributions of each type of engineer. They focused on showing the connections between the three engineering fields along the edges of the paper.
I initially planned to combine pen drawing and watercolor to create stylistic unity, using pen outlines to connect the different contributions while separating each engineering specialty through color. However, my art teacher encouraged me to explore different framing styles, as my ideas were limited to one perspective. In response, I tilted the framing diagonally to better represent the dynamic and progressive nature of the engineering process. From left to right, I arranged the work of AI and machine learning, signal processing, and mechanical engineers to highlight the structural order in which solutions are developed.
I also experimented with a blueprint-style layout that divides the artwork into three sections with additional sketches explaining how each engineering contribution functions. While developing this idea, I considered how to reflect the identity of the website and appeal to its main audience: girls. After interviewing girls at my school, I learned that many enjoy recording their daily lives in diaries. This inspired me to transform the blueprint concept into a diary-style aesthetic using elements such as masking tape, stickers, and handwritten notes.
With the final design established, I began sketching each engineering part on different types of paper with varied textures and colors. I researched real engineering tools and methods that engineers use to reference when sketching the shapes and poses of images. I included technical elements such as network overlays to represent signal processing, digital circuits, and line graphs for data engineering, and gears, cogs, a pink safety helmet, and a powerful drill to depict mechanical engineering.
After the sketch, I used gouache and watercolor to describe the soft color scheme and smooth and dense texture of the colored elements. I also used a colored pencil to fill in the gear wheels, line graph, and the hologram, differentiating some textures with a more delicate, lighter touch. To emphasize the engineering theme, I used white and yellow gel pens to clearly show the precise lines in circuit patterns and the internal mechanical structure of the mechanical engineers’ invention.
Lastly, I wanted my artwork to encourage female students to explore engineering disciplines. I deliberately chose the soft pastel tones as the overall color theme and included a pink safety helmet to represent an optimistic future in which more female engineers contribute to the world. In addition, the handwritten letter placed at the center of the artwork is an interview with a female engineer, further encouraging female students to pursue careers in engineering.

Explain anything you learned from the process. Ideally include any failures you experienced along the way. Failure and subsequent improvement are critical to engineering design, so please tell us how you failed, how you dealt with it, and how that influenced your submission.

Iterating on different ideas and methods, much like the engineering design process, helped me become not only a better artist but also a stronger communicator.
Initially, I planned to represent engineers’ contributions to developing medical treatments that improve physical health. While brainstorming this idea with my art teacher, however, I began to question what truly defines a “better world”. While physical well-being is important, I realized that human connection and mental health are overlooked in today’s society. In particular, I focused on how the rapid development of digital technology has caused rising rates of mental health disorders.
Representing the theme of mental health visually was challenging because it is largely invisible and abstract, making it difficult to express through a single image. In my first draft, my peers commented that while my artwork successfully showed engineering, the mental health theme was not clearly visible. This feedback made me add psychological and biological elements such as facial expression diagrams, heart rate change graphs, and data visualizations to show how mental states can be monitored, analyzed, and understood through engineering. Through this process, I learned that, instead of settling on an initial idea, changing and adding different ideas can be beneficial for improving the artwork and delivering its meaningful message. 
Another challenge was showing how multiple engineering disciplines work together to solve the mental health issue. To resolve this, I incorporated diverse engineering concepts such as app-based support systems, data analysis, signal processing of biological data, and human-centered mechanical design. I tried to convey that addressing mental health requires interdisciplinary collaboration rather than a standalone solution.
Overall, the process taught me that delivering a message about engineers’ contributions requires more than simple drawing: it demands continuous reflection, revision, and intentional artistic choices. I learned that reflecting on others’ feedback improved my artwork to better address the mental health issue in a clear and hopeful message.