Mina Ishimaru
Papers
6
Total Citations
129
H-Index
5
About
Mina Ishimaru is a leading researcher at the intersection of gerontology, robotics ethics, and cross-cultural health policy. Her work critically examines the societal and ethical dimensions of deploying home-care robots—or “carebots”—to address the escalating care crisis, particularly in rapidly aging societies like Japan. Ishimaru’s major contributions include pioneering large-scale, cross-national surveys that map stakeholder perceptions across Finland, Ireland, and Japan. Her most cited work (2020, 53 citations) reveals divergent cultural attitudes toward robotic care, while her follow-up studies (34 and 16 citations) delve into the ethical dilemmas faced by home-care professionals and the urgent need for user-centered policy before widespread implementation. She has also developed a novel model explaining how ethical awareness—concerning personhood, privacy, and autonomy—shapes willingness to adopt care robots (2023, 11 citations). By systematically identifying the essential needs of older adults, family caregivers, and staff (2020, 10 citations), Ishimaru provides evidence-based guidance for designing ethically sound, culturally sensitive robotic solutions. Her comparative, multi-stakeholder approach has made her a key voice in ensuring that technological innovation in elder care proceeds with both compassion and rigor.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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- 5The essential needs for home-care robots in Japan10 citations · 2020
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