Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Elizabeth Beattie is a leading dementia care researcher whose work has significantly advanced our understanding of technology-based interventions for older adults living with dementia. Based primarily in long-term residential care settings, her research focuses on the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia—including agitation, apathy, depression, and loneliness—and how innovative therapeutic tools can meaningfully improve quality of life. Beattie is best known for her rigorous investigation of PARO, a therapeutic robotic seal, through multiple randomized controlled trials. Her 2013 pilot RCT (321 citations) was among the first to systematically examine how companion robots affect emotional expression in people with moderate to severe dementia, establishing a foundation for the field. She subsequently led a large-scale cluster-RCT published in 2017 (278 citations) that compared PARO against a plush toy and standard care, with follow-up studies examining cost-effectiveness, motor activity, sleep patterns, and medication use—demonstrating the breadth and depth of her scholarly program. With over 1,000 cumulative citations across her key works, Beattie's research has shaped clinical practice and policy discussions around non-pharmacological dementia care. Her mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative trial data with critical reflective analysis, makes her contributions particularly valuable to researchers, clinicians, and aged care practitioners alike.