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About

Natasha Randall is a human-robot interaction researcher whose work sits at the intersection of social robotics, mental health, and aging. Her research focuses primarily on socially assistive robots (SARs) for older adults, robot-assisted language learning, and the role of technology in supporting psychological well-being and independent living. Randall's most influential contribution is her comprehensive survey of Robot-Assisted Language Learning (2019), which has accumulated 136 citations and remains a foundational reference for researchers exploring educational applications of robotics. Equally significant is her sustained investigation into how in-home robots can support older adults living with depression — a body of work spanning participatory design, pilot interventions, and long-term field studies, collectively drawing over 150 citations. What distinguishes Randall's scholarship is her human-centered methodology: she actively involves older adults as co-designers rather than passive study participants. Her more recent work introduces the Japanese concept of ikigai — meaning and purpose in life — to the HRI field, exploring how robots might support not just physical health but eudaimonic well-being, a genuinely novel contribution to the discipline. Across her career, Randall has consistently championed the idea that effective assistive robots must be emotionally attuned, ethically designed, and deeply responsive to the lived experiences of their users.