My current research focuses on the design and use of emerging technologies for social and emotional wellbeing in old age.

​A list of my previous projects is available here. 

Emerging Technologies for Enrichment in Old Age: A Critical Perspective

2017 - 2021 - ARC Future Fellowship
This project aims to generate knowledge about older adults' experiences with emerging technologies used for social and emotional enrichment.

​Technologies like virtual reality are said to offer social benefits for those in advanced old age, but we have limited knowledge about the issues that can impede older adults' experiences with these technologies and even cause harm for vulnerable users. This project seeks to identify empirically informed strategies for good practice in the design and deployment of emerging technologies for enrichment in old age. Findings will inform the future ethical design and use of emerging technologies to benefit the social and emotional well-being of older adults. Read more here
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Social Robots for Older People: Identifying Technological, Social and Ethical Challenges

2018 - Melbourne Networked Society Institute Seed Project

​This project is investigating the acceptance and social and ethical implications of using robotic pets and virtual assistants to provide companionship and support for older adults who live independently at home but are supported by aged care services. 

​Ageing Bodies and Embodied Interactions: Creating Social Inclusion through Mediated Presence

2016 - 2018 ARC Discovery Project

​The project is investigating how gesture-based interactions and avatars can be used to create a sense of virtual presence between older people.

For more information see the project website.

This video provides an overview of the work we have been doing exploring VR and avatars with groups of older adults. 

This image shows avatars created as part of Romina Carrasco's PhD research. 

Growing Older, Staying Connected: Touch-Screen Technologies for Ameliorating Older People's Experience of Social Isolation

2012 - 2015 ARC Linkage Project

​I was the Research Fellow working on this ARC Linkage project that aimed to design and evaluate communication technologies to help ameliorate social isolation for older people.

Project website

​Conversation article

Making the Invisible Visible: Digital Storytelling for Neighbourhood Social Cohesion

2013 - 2014 Melbourne Networked Society Institute seed project

This project explored the potential of digital technologies to enable housebound people to share their experiences with the local community through digital storytelling. The project demonstrated the power of video for fostering creative personal storytelling among people who normally have limited opportunities to share their experiences. 

This image shows a richly decorated entrance to the home of one of our housebound participants. The objects and decorations in her home featured prominently in her digital story.