Sarah Nettleton

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About

Sarah Nettleton is a leading voice in the sociology of healthcare robotics, with her work centering on the complex, human-centered dynamics of introducing robots into clinical care settings. Her major contribution lies in moving the conversation beyond technical feasibility to examine the lived, relational, and ethical realities of robot deployment. In her landmark ethnographic study of the teleoperated robot *Välkky* on a Finnish neurological ward, Nettleton reveals a compelling narrative arc of expectation, exploration, and the emergence of "robocentric nursing care," showing how staff and patients actively shape a robot’s role. This work, alongside her foundational paper proposing a "Sociology of Healthcare Robots," establishes her as a pioneer in the field. Her framework emphasizes the "heterogeneous ethics of mutual labour" and the complex, contested definitions of care that arise through design and deployment. Though her most-cited works are recent (2024-2025), their immediate impact signals a rapidly growing influence, making Nettleton an essential scholar for anyone studying the future of care, technology, and society.