Tijs Vandemeulebroucke
KU Leuven, University of Bonn, Institute of Science and Ethics
Papers
8
Total Citations
649
H-Index
7
About
Tijs Vandemeulebroucke is a leading bioethicist whose scholarship centers on the intersection of robotics, aged care, and applied ethics. He has made substantial contributions to our understanding of socially assistive robots (SARs) in eldercare settings, approaching this emerging field from philosophical, empirical, and stakeholder-centered perspectives. His landmark 2017 systematic reviews — examining both the argument-based ethics literature (253 citations) and qualitative evidence of older adults' lived experiences (163 citations) — established him as a foundational voice in care robot ethics. A subsequent quantitative review (2021, 97 citations) completed a comprehensive methodological trilogy that has become an essential reference point for researchers worldwide. Beyond literature synthesis, Vandemeulebroucke has elevated the perspectives of primary stakeholders, conducting focus group research with older adults in Belgium and exploring the ethical intuitions of care professionals regarding pet robots in dementia settings. His work critically interrogates simplistic narratives, challenging both uncritical techno-optimism and reflexive technophobia. More recently, he has extended his ethical analysis to include Christian anthropological frameworks, reflecting a commitment to pluralistic moral reasoning. With a growing citation record exceeding 650 references, Vandemeulebroucke's research profoundly shapes how ethicists, clinicians, and policymakers navigate the complex moral terrain of robotic care technologies.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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