Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

In Soon Koh is a leading researcher at the intersection of gerontechnology and nursing science, whose work has fundamentally shaped how robotic interventions are evaluated and implemented in dementia care. Her primary research areas include socially assistive robotics, particularly the therapeutic use of PARO (a seal-like robot), and the integration of technology into long-term care settings. Koh’s major contributions center on rigorous outcome measurement and evidence-based practice. Her seminal 2019 review, which has garnered 97 citations, systematically cataloged and critiqued the outcome measures used in PARO intervention studies, providing a critical framework for future research. This work built upon her earlier 2018 quasi-experimental study (38 citations) that demonstrated PARO’s significant positive effects on cognition, emotion, and social interaction among elderly individuals with dementia. More recently, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Koh conducted a qualitative study (37 citations) exploring nurses’ perceptions of care robots, revealing both the potential and the challenges of socially assistive technology in crisis contexts. Her research is notable for its methodological rigor and its direct impact on clinical practice, helping to bridge the gap between technological innovation and compassionate, person-centered dementia care.