Maitreyee Wairagkar
UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Reading, Imperial College London
Papers
9
Total Citations
211
H-Index
8
About
Maitreyee Wairagkar is a researcher whose work sits at the intersection of assistive robotics, human-computer interaction, brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), and mental health technology. Her research has made meaningful contributions to two distinct but complementary domains: socially assistive robots (SARs) for vulnerable populations, and neural and haptic interfaces for rehabilitation and emotional communication. Wairagkar's most impactful work focuses on developing conversational and affective social robots to support older adults and people with dementia, with her papers on this topic accumulating over 65 and 63 citations respectively. She has explored how robotic telemedicine can address critical mental health gaps—particularly in low- and middle-income countries—and has conducted culturally sensitive feasibility studies on robot adoption in India. Her pioneering research on soft robotic affective touch investigates how machines can replicate the psychological and therapeutic benefits of human contact, a genuinely novel frontier in care robotics. Earlier in her career, Wairagkar developed EEG-based BCI systems enabling movement-intention control of virtual reality and soft robotic rehabilitation platforms—demonstrating her breadth across neurotechnology. Across her body of work, she consistently bridges rigorous engineering with deep concern for clinical translation and human wellbeing, making her a distinctive voice in assistive and social robotics research.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1Conversational Affective Social Robots for Ageing and Dementia Support65 citations · 2021
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- 5Comparing soft robotic affective touch to human and brush affective touch12 citations · 2021
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