Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Mehrbod Manavi is a pioneering researcher at the intersection of human-robot interaction (HRI), gerontechnology, and cultural anthropology, whose work redefines how social robots can support healthy ageing. His major contributions center on designing and deploying robotic systems for older adults, particularly those with mild cognitive impairments, in real-world care settings like nursing homes in Germany and Japan. Manavi’s ethnographic study on android robot perception among older adults (6 citations) revealed that cultural context profoundly shapes acceptance, challenging assumptions about the “uncanny valley.” He introduced CelesTE, a theomorphic device that adapts the Catholic robot SanTO for secular cognitive support, blending spirituality with assistive technology (6 citations). His 2025 study on unanticipated conversations between social robots and residents with mild cognitive impairment (4 citations) demonstrates how even idle interactions can foster meaningful social dynamics. Notably, his work on empowering care professionals to customize robots through a smartphone app (4 citations) addresses a critical gap in end-user control, moving beyond lab prototypes to practical deployment. Manavi also critically examines roboticists’ own assumptions about the future, as seen in his case study on a Japanese HRI project (3 citations), making him a thoughtful voice in responsible robotics design.