Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Anne Aronsson is a scholar whose research sits at the intersection of aging, technology, and care, with a particular focus on contemporary Japan. Her work critically examines how one of the world's most rapidly aging societies is turning to robotic and technological solutions to address mounting elder care labor shortages. Through ethnographically grounded and theoretically rich analysis, Aronsson has made significant contributions to our understanding of how social robots are conceptualized, adopted, and experienced within Japanese care settings. Her most cited work, "Conceptualizing Robotic Agency" (2021, 8 citations), explores the emotional bonds forming between older adults and anthropomorphic machines, challenging simplistic narratives about technology as a neutral labor substitute. Complementing this, her research on professional women and elder care (2022, 7 citations) foregrounds the gendered dimensions of what she terms "technocare," illuminating how anxieties around demographic change shape policy and practice. Her 2023 piece advances theoretical frameworks for understanding robots as media technologies, raising important ethical and governance questions. Across her body of work, Aronsson offers students and researchers an indispensable lens for understanding how aging, culture, and technological imagination converge in Japan and beyond.