Photographer Paula Hornickel captures social robot Emma's interactions at German care home

In July 2025, photographer Paula Hornickel documented a social robot named Emma during a pilot program at a care home in Albershausen, Germany. The robot, standing at toddler height with large googly eyes and wearing a red hat knitted by a careworker, initially interacted with residents in a circle. After being introduced to a resident named Peter, Emma humorously assumed all residents shared that name, creating amusement before experiencing a technical breakdown. Hornickel later captured a calmer moment between Emma and resident Waltraud in the dining room. The town of Albershausen has approximately 4,000 inhabitants in southwestern Germany. The robot's malfunction temporarily disrupted the interaction, though Emma resumed functioning afterward. Hornickel's photograph focuses on this technological intervention in elder care settings.