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About

Eva Z. Reininghaus is a pioneering researcher at the intersection of mental health and human-robot interaction, with a primary focus on leveraging social robots to address depression and cognitive decline. Her work centers on developing gender-sensitive, socially assistive robotic (SAR) systems that motivate patients with depression to engage in cognitive training—a critical area given that depression affects approximately 280 million people worldwide and often impairs cognitive function. Reininghaus’s major contributions include designing bio-signal driven pause management systems that adapt robot behavior to individual patient needs, enhancing motivation and treatment adherence. Her most cited paper, "Social robots in adult psychiatry" (2025, 3 citations), provides a comprehensive overview of how robots are being deployed in psychiatric care to mitigate staffing shortages and improve outcomes. Notably, she leads the Austrian AMIGA project, which aims to create customizable, gender-sensitive SAR systems for depression treatment. With a growing citation footprint, Reininghaus is shaping the future of personalized, technology-assisted mental health interventions, offering hope for more effective and inclusive psychiatric care.