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About

Megan Burke is a researcher specializing in assistive technology, dementia care, and social robotics, with a particular focus on improving the quality of life for people living with dementia (PLWD) in residential care settings. She is most prominently known for her significant contributions to the EU-funded MARIO Project, a Horizon 2020 initiative that developed and validated a companion robot designed to reduce loneliness, social isolation, and depression among people with dementia. Burke's most impactful work includes the validation and evaluation of the MARIO robot across international residential care settings, with her key publications from 2019 garnering 77 and 63 citations respectively, reflecting substantial scholarly influence in a rapidly evolving field. Her research rigorously examined the short-term effects of social robots on quality of life, perceived social support, and psychological resilience, employing both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. Notably, she championed participatory approaches, involving people with dementia directly in the design and iterative development process. Burke's scholarship has helped shape expert consensus on the therapeutic potential of social robots and positions her as a meaningful voice in the intersection of gerontechnology, dementia care innovation, and ethical human-robot interaction research.