Samantha Clarke

About

Samantha is a Neuroarts Design-Engineer, Researcher, and Entrepreneur who explores the transdisciplinary study of how the creative arts and aesthetic experiences impact the body, brain, and behaviour. 

Prior to being an Apple Scholar on MSc/MA Global Innovation Design (GID), Samantha held a background as a consummate speaker and coach trained in neuroscience and psychology. She has helped company leaders reshape their inner environment and psychology (sense of who they are, what they can do and how they can grow) to foster better company cultures. Samantha believes that; “We shape our environment and our environment shapes us.” Merging this melting pot of skills and GID, Samantha now leverages this knowledge to fuse scientific research and human factors to create personalised and precision health and wellbeing technologies across spatial environments and product applications.

Her final master’s project, MovCue, uses advanced sonification technology for Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) rehabilitation.

Psychoacoustics explains how sound stimuli travel to the brain, informing the body to act appropriately. ACL injuries cause brain deficits that disrupt key movements. Collaborating with experts in sports, music psychology, and neuroscience, three key insights emerged: personality styles influence athletes’ motivations, music can alter behavior traits and stimulate the brain for better movement, and real-time acoustic feedback can improve movement execution and control during rehabilitation.

MovCue creates a personalised soundscape based on a user’s personality profile to prepare their mind and attitude for exercise. During exercise, body tracking sensors provide real-time auditory feedback to guide proper alignment. An AI-powered sound engine adjusts sounds to support mood and aid nervous system recovery.

During GID, Samantha led user research and design projects, including prototyping a biomedical sensor for pain and anxiety management, creating a multi-modal VR experience for pre-psychotherapy sessions, and conducted cultural research on pain perceptions across Japan and the US.

Samantha holds a BA Management & Marketing and MA/MSc Global Innovation Design (GID) from Imperial College and Royal College of Art. Throughout GID, she completed international residencies at Keio University (Media Design) in Tokyo and Pratt Institute (Industrial Design) in New York City, and Neuroscience and Design training from Politechnico Milano in Milan.