Lena Franzkowiak

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Lena Franzkowiak is a leading voice in the critical study of care technology, exploring how robots and digital tools are reshaping gerontological care. Her research sits at the intersection of Science and Technology Studies (STS) and Human-Robot Interaction (HRI), focusing on the real-world enactment of care technologies rather than their idealized design. Her most cited work, "The Interactive Enactment of Care Technologies and its Implications for Human-Robot-Interaction in Care" (34 citations), argues that successful technology integration depends on how it is negotiated within existing care practices—a challenge often overlooked by developers. In her provocative piece "Hospital Beds, Robot Priests and Huggables" (12 citations), she uses speculative fiction to critique dominant visions of care robotics, imagining a future where robotic care has become the norm and tracing the social and ethical consequences. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork in care homes, Franzkowiak’s work is notable for centering the perspectives of caregivers and care recipients, challenging techno-solutionist narratives. Her contributions are vital for students and researchers seeking to understand the messy, human realities behind the promise of care automation.