Bethany Ann Mackey

Bristol Robotics Laboratory, University of the West of England

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Bethany Ann Mackey is a researcher at the intersection of human-robot interaction, virtual reality, and palliative care, dedicated to combating social isolation through immersive technology. Her primary research focuses on designing and evaluating immersive control systems for robotic surrogates, enabling users—particularly those with restricted mobility or life-limiting illnesses—to interact naturally with loved ones. Mackey’s most cited work, "Immersive Control of a Robot Surrogate for Users in Palliative Care" (2020, 5 citations), directly addresses quality of life for palliative patients, aiming to mitigate mental health risks by fostering meaningful social presence. She further investigates the efficacy of these systems in "The Effect of Virtual Reality Control of a Robotic Surrogate on Presence and Social Presence in Comparison to Telecommunications Software" (2020, 3 citations), comparing immersive control to standard telecommunication tools like Skype. Her 2022 study on usability (2 citations) highlights the broader societal relevance of her work, emphasizing its potential for ethnic minorities, LGBTQIA+ communities, the elderly, and those in long-term care—a need amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic. Though her citation counts are modest, Mackey’s contributions are pioneering in their compassionate application of robotics and VR to enhance human connection, offering a promising avenue for improving mental health and social inclusion in vulnerable populations.