Research Lab

VIVAM Research Lab

At the intersection of artificial intelligence and mental health: we research how AI can support psychotherapy in a safe, privacy-compliant and scientifically grounded way – together with leading research and clinical partners.

Research projects

Third-party funded research

Two projects funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) on secure AI language models in healthcare.

Phase 1 · completed

6G-ROTAM

Resource-optimised training of large language models in 6G networks for AI on Device: application to sensitive medical data

Together with RWTH Aachen, we researched how large language models (LLMs) can be trained in a federated way – that is, without centrally storing sensitive patient data – directly on the device („AI on Device"). A privacy-compliant trust layer secures the communication; the use case comes from psychotherapy. VIVAM GmbH emerged from this first project phase in 2025.

CoordinationRWTH Aachen (INDA Chair)
FundingBMFTR – StartUpConnect, „Souverän. Digital. Vernetzt."
Grant ref.16KIS2344
Funding volume0,79 Mio. €
DurationFeb. 2025 – Jan. 2026
Project at BMFTR
Phase 2 · ongoing

6G-ROTAM2

Resource-optimised training of large language models in 6G networks for AI on Device (Phase 2)

In this second phase, led by VIVAM, we are developing the federated, privacy-compliant approach from Phase 1 into a 6G-ready, AI-augmented platform for psychotherapy. A privacy-compliant trust layer secures consent and data access; edge AI and modern 6G networks enable low latency. The pilot application field is psychotherapy.

Lead applicantVIVAM GmbH
Research partnerRWTH Aachen (INDA Chair)
FundingBMFTR – „Souverän. Digital. Vernetzt."
DurationPhase 2, 24 months
FocusFederated learning, edge AI & data protection
More information to follow.
Publications

Recent publications

Selected work by our team – in particular by Prof. Dr. Marc Augustin and Ahmed Hallawa on AI in psychotherapy and medicine.

Der Nervenarzt2026New

Künstliche Intelligenz in der Psychotherapie – Einstellungen und Kompetenzen ärztlicher und psychologischer Psychotherapeuten

Augustin M., Reitz A., Wirtz J., Hallawa A., Dartmann G., Schmeink A.
NPP—Digital Psychiatry and Neuroscience2026

Characterizing the spiral: potential mechanisms in AI-associated delusions

Augustin M., Pollak T. A., Morrin H.
Monatsschrift Kinderheilkunde2026

KI-Chatbots und Suizidalität bei Jugendlichen

Augustin M.
Acta Neuropsychiatrica2026

When artificial intelligence speaks: psychologically adverse effects of the shift from text- to voice-based chatbots

Augustin M., Østergaard S. D.
Der Nervenarzt2025

KI-assoziierte Psychose: Erkenntnisse aus ersten Fällen

Augustin M.
Psychotherapie Aktuell2025

Umgang mit Künstlicher Intelligenz im Praxisalltag

Augustin M.
ICASSP 20242024

LiteVSR: Efficient Visual Speech Recognition by Learning from Speech Representations of Unlabeled Data

Laux H., Mededovic E., Hallawa A., Martin L., Peine A., Schmeink A.
Scientific Reports2023

Two-Stage Visual Speech Recognition for Intensive Care Patients

Laux H., Hallawa A., Sá Assis J. C., Schmeink A., Martin L., Peine A.
International Journal of Speech Technology2023

Speaker Identification and Localization Using Shuffled MFCC Features and Deep Learning

Barhoush M., Hallawa A., Schmeink A.
npj Digital Medicine2021

Development and Validation of a Reinforcement Learning Algorithm to Dynamically Optimize Mechanical Ventilation in Critical Care

Peine A., Hallawa A., et al.
Partners

Our research & clinical partners

We work closely with universities and university hospitals in the fields of mental health and AI.

Uniklinik RWTH Aachen
RWTH Aachen
Uniklinik Köln
Ruhr-Universität Bochum
Hochschule Fresenius
Associated research partners

Prof. Dr. Dieter Wallach (Human-Computer Interaction) · Prof. Dr.-Ing. Guido Dartmann (Cyber-Physical Systems)

Collaboration

Let's research together

We are always open to third-party funded projects in collaboration with researchers in the fields of mental health and artificial intelligence. Do you have a project idea or are you looking for a practice partner? Get in touch – we look forward to the exchange.

info@vivam.io
Jülicher Str. 209 Q-S, 52070 Aachen