Tobias Mettler

University of Lausanne, University of St.Gallen

Papers

Total Citations

170

H-Index

About

Tobias Mettler is a prominent researcher whose work sits at the intersection of health information systems, digital transformation, and emerging technologies in healthcare. He is best known for his pioneering investigations into the adoption and societal implications of service robotics in clinical environments — a field he helped bring into mainstream information systems discourse. Mettler's most influential contribution, "Service robots in hospitals: new perspectives on niche evolution and technology affordances" (2017), has garnered 128 citations, underscoring its significance in shaping how scholars and practitioners understand robot integration in human-centered care settings. In this work, he critically examines the shared beliefs and concerns of health workers confronting autonomous robotic systems, offering a nuanced lens on technology affordances and institutional change. What distinguishes Mettler's scholarship is his persistent effort to bridge engineering-driven robotics research with information systems theory. His earlier works, including a 2014 perspective piece, were among the first to formally invite IS researchers into the conversation around service robotics in healthcare — a call that has since been widely heeded. His body of work makes him an essential reference point for students and researchers exploring the future of intelligent systems in health service delivery.