Speaker: Dr. Shawn Bender, Dickinson College

When we think of robots, we tend to imagine the bulky yet dexterous machines of the factory assembly line or the sleek, sophisticated, and often deadly metal monsters of science fiction. In recent years, though, it is becoming increasingly common to find robots at work in the much more tranquil surroundings of hospitals and nursing homes. Based on fieldwork in Japan and Europe, this talk explores how robots have been taken up in the new contexts of care for the aged and people with disabilities.

Shawn Bender is Associate Professor of East Asian Studies at Dickinson College. His current research examines relationships among demographic change, health care policy, and the development of robotics technologies in Japan and Europe.