Lori Ann Eldridge

Indiana University, Indiana University Bloomington

Papers

Total Citations

126

H-Index

About

Lori Ann Eldridge is a pioneering researcher at the intersection of human-robot interaction, gerontechnology, and mental health. Her work focuses on designing and evaluating socially assistive robots (SARs) to support older adults living with depression, aiming to shift mental healthcare from clinical settings to preventative, in-home interventions. Her most influential study, "More than just friends" (2019, 65 citations), provides critical design and use recommendations for SARs and sensors as therapeutic companions. Her pilot study, "A Robot a Day Keeps the Blues Away" (2017, 44 citations), demonstrated measurable intervention effects from voluntary in-home robot use among depressed older adults. Eldridge also bridges technology and clinical practice, as seen in her work on integrating SARs into recreational therapy (2021). By combining rigorous user-centered design with real-world deployment, she has established a foundational framework for how robots can sense, respond to, and alleviate loneliness and depression in aging populations. Her research is essential reading for anyone interested in socially assistive robotics, patient-centered health technology, or non-pharmacological interventions for geriatric mental health.