Elin Thunman
Papers
2
Total Citations
8
H-Index
1
About
Elin Thunman is an emerging researcher whose work sits at the intersection of social care, technology ethics, and human-robot interaction, with a particular focus on the use of robotic companions in dementia care settings. Her research critically examines the ethical complexities that arise when robot animals — designed to simulate living creatures — are introduced into vulnerable care environments, raising important questions about deception, emotional wellbeing, and professional responsibility. In her most-cited work, "Robotic Misinformation in Dementia Care" (2024, 7 citations), Thunman offers a nuanced analysis of how emotions function as sense-making resources when residents encounter robot animals, reframing the ethics of misinformation in care contexts. Her subsequent study on "Robot Dilemmas" (2025) extends this inquiry by centering the perspective of care workers themselves, exploring the concept of digital emotional labor — the often-invisible work of navigating residents' misperceptions of robotic companions as real animals. Thunman's contributions are particularly timely as robotic technologies become increasingly embedded in elder care. Her ethnographically grounded approach, combining in-depth interviews with observational fieldwork, positions her as a thoughtful and rigorous voice in debates about the responsible integration of social robotics in dementia care.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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