Tony W Li

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Tony W. Li is a pioneering researcher at the intersection of human-robot interaction and adolescent mental health. His work centers on leveraging social robots as scalable, accessible tools for psychological support, particularly during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. Li’s most cited study, “Tell Me About It” (2023, 7 citations), demonstrates that self-disclosure to a social robot can significantly reduce stress in adolescents, highlighting the potential of digital robots to deliver mental health interventions remotely when in-person care is limited. In “Share with Me” (2022, 1 citation), he further explores how robots can ethically collect sensitive mental health data, addressing critical design and privacy considerations. Though early in his career, Li’s research is already shaping conversations around technology-mediated therapy, offering a novel pathway to scale mental health support for vulnerable populations. His work is notable for its timely relevance, combining rigorous empirical methods with a compassionate focus on youth well-being. Li’s contributions are poised to influence both the design of empathetic AI systems and the future of digital mental health care.