Robots for Care? – A Critical Review

Robots as companions and caring entities are an intriguing idea for some and therefore are getting developed, advertised, and soldAs this is happening right now we – as a research project – would like to provide our analytical perspective on how such objects and their marketing subtly change our understanding of care work. Through these articles, we contribute to a critical discourse on such technologies.

Source: google.com / The google image search on care robots gives a glimpse of the dominant perspectives in care robotics.
Is this a realistic and desirable perspective on robotic systems in a care context?

In this series of articles we take a closer look into the complex interconnectedness of care work, products developed to support such care work, and the actors involved. We analyze what types of care robots are being developed, which perspective on care work they have inscribed into their forms, and the specific behavior they are able to perform. Another key category for us is the space of possibilities it opens up for those who have control over the robots – and those who use them?

Robots Reviewed:

Britta Schulte & Philipp Graf (10.2020): Companion Robot Moxie