EASTS Article Commended by the International Network for Engineering Studies (INES)

We are delighted to share that Giulia De Togni’s article, “Staging the Robot: Performing Techno-Politics of Innovation for Care Robotics in Japan,” has been commended by the International Network for Engineering Studies (INES) Awards Committee. Originally published in 2024 for the EASTS special issue “Robots and Artificial Intelligence for Healthcare in Japan and South Korea” (Volume 18, Issue 2), the paper offers a vivid first-person ethnographic account of De Togni’s interactions with researchers developing socially assistive robots (SARs).

The INES review panel praised De Togni’s nuanced portrayal of SAR research, highlighting the tensions between the optimistic visions researchers promote and the practical challenges they encounter. Her analysis exposes the gap between technological aspirations and everyday realities, offering a sharp critique of the techno-scientific imaginaries that shape research priorities and national development agendas.

We extend our warmest congratulations to Dr. De Togni for this well-deserved recognition, and encourage readers to revisit EASTS Volume 18, Issue 2 featuring her outstanding work.

🔗 Read the full article (open access): https://doi.org/10.1080/18752160.2023.2295144

‍