hannes bend recently developed one of the first virtual reality (VR) programs with heart rate biofeedback, with researchers while artist-in-residence at the Institute of Neuroscience and Quantum Physics Alemán Lab, at the University of Oregon from 2014-2016. For this project his team won “Best Presentation Award” at the AAAI (Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence) Spring Symposia 2016 in the panel “Wellbeing Computing: AI meets Health and Happiness Science” at Stanford University. He conducted research on meditation and visual stimuli using EEG and fMRI.

His practice centers around merging the insights from creative and contemplative practices, technology and science. He has presented, published, researched and exhibited projects internationally at museum, conferences and institutions, and guided breathing/yoga/meditation sessions globally. In late 2016, he curated the months-long project “Youniverse” at apexart in NY with over 50 contributors and focusing on consciousness, creative and contemplative practices. During the Thoughtworks residency, hannes will further develop the VR project with biofeedback with collaborators from arts, healing arts, technology and science.