The use of robotics to assist feeding has become important for people with an impaired arm function. Yet, despite large-scale dissemination strategies, it has proven difficult to sustain the use of this technology. This ethnographic study draws on the script approach to discuss the use of robotics to assist feeding. The empirical work took place at locations in Denmark and Sweden. Drawing on document studies, interviews, observation of meals and video footage, I discuss (1) policy strategies promoting ideas such as self-reliance; (2) design-visions promoting ideas such as empowerment; (3) and three scripts of care: a) the script of choice, b) the script of eating alone, and c) the script of eating together. I argue that scripts entwine and both give rise to and prevent the use of robotics. The study contributes to the script literature in STS as well as the care robotics literature by substantiating that care robotics may generate new choice-dependency situations for users. Rather than the somewhat overflowing ‘self-reliance’ and ‘empowerment’, alternative configurations of choice and dependency emerge, in which some situations fit users better than others. I conclude that although sustaining the use of feeding robotics is difficult, in some cases useful choices arise for both care receivers and care providers.
Keywords: Care robotics, care work, script literature, disability, values, feeding technology
