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About

Ivy Yan Zhao is an emerging researcher whose work sits at the intersection of gerontechnology, aged care, and human-robot interaction, with a particular focus on older adults and culturally diverse aging populations. Her research addresses one of the most pressing challenges in contemporary gerontology: how social robots can be meaningfully integrated into home-based care to support aging-in-place. Zhao's most-cited work (34 citations) pioneers the real-world deployment of humanoid social robots in older adults' homes through carefully designed case studies, generating rare empirical insight into the dynamics of human-robot interaction in naturalistic settings. Complementing this, her investigation into loneliness among older Chinese immigrants during COVID-19 (15 citations) reveals nuanced relationships between social isolation and technology acceptance, situating robots within a broader ecosystem of companionship solutions. Her cross-sectional study on robot appearance and functional preferences among older Chinese immigrants further demonstrates her commitment to culturally responsive design in aged care technology. Collectively, Zhao's contributions highlight the importance of acceptability, cultural context, and practical utility when deploying social robots in care environments. With a growing citation record and applied research agenda, she is establishing herself as a thoughtful voice in shaping the future of technology-assisted aged care.