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About

Yolande Strengers is a leading scholar at the intersection of digital sociology, human-computer interaction, and sustainable energy demand. Her research critically examines how smart home technologies, AI, and feminized digital assistants reshape everyday life, gender relations, and household practices. Strengers is best known for her influential book *The Smart Wife* (2020, 154 citations), which exposes the gendered design of digital assistants like Alexa and Siri, arguing they perpetuate problematic stereotypes of servile femininity. She has also made significant contributions to understanding how technologies like robotic vacuum cleaners (2018, 54 citations) influence energy consumption and domestic cleanliness conventions, challenging assumptions about their environmental benefits. Her work on non-human performers in social practice theory (2018, 13 citations) and innovative methods like "troubleshooting" for remote aged care (2022, 8 citations) further demonstrates her interdisciplinary reach. With a career focused on reimagining technology design for positive ageing, sustainability, and equity, Strengers’ research has profoundly impacted how scholars and designers critically evaluate the social and ethical implications of smart home systems.