Socio-technical imaginaries of social robots for older adults

Abstract

Although social robots are promoted as a technological solution for ageing populations, their development and integration are challenging. This paper analytically reviews social science research on social robots for elder care in two different socio-economic and political contexts, the Netherlands and India, focusing on socio-technical imaginaries in media, research, and policy. Grounded in science and technology studies, the notion of socio-technical imaginaries presumes the mutual shaping of technologies and people’s imagination. However, socio-technical imaginations of states, roboticists and the intended robot users are not always aligned.