USC Professor Creates Robots That Fight Student Depression

A simple question from her daughter changed the direction of Maja Matarić's entire career. The USC professor wanted to tell her child something more meaningful than academic achievements, so she created an entirely new field of robotics focused on helping people.

Matarić pioneered socially assistive robotics in 2005, developing machines that provide personalized therapy through social interactions. Her robots can hold conversations, play games, and respond to human emotions in real time.

Today, the IEEE Fellow focuses on helping college students struggling with anxiety and depression. Her robots guide young people through cognitive behavioral therapy, a proven treatment that helps rewire negative thought patterns and emotional responses.

Her journey started in Belgrade, Serbia, where her engineer father and writer mother encouraged her curiosity. After her father died when she was 16, she and her mother moved to the United States, where she pursued computer science at the University of Kansas.

At MIT's AI Lab in the late 1980s, Matarić built Toto, the first navigating behavior-based robot. Inspired by how animals use landmarks to find their way, Toto mapped MIT's building using sonar to detect walls and doors.

She went on to pioneer algorithms that allowed up to 20 robots to work together on complex tasks. But the technical achievements felt hollow without real-world impact.

The turning point came in 1998 after her daughter's birth. Matarić realized she could use her position to create technology that genuinely helps people instead of just advancing academic knowledge.

Her work has also helped children with autism spectrum disorder improve their communication skills. One robot named Bandit plays games with kids and offers words of affirmation, making therapy feel less intimidating and more engaging.

Why This Inspires

Matarić's story proves that asking "why does this matter?" can transform not just a career but an entire field. She didn't just switch research topics. She helped define a new area of robotics that puts human wellbeing first.

In 2025, she received the Robotics Medal from MassRobotics for advancing the field as a female researcher. At the Boston ceremony, surrounded by colleagues and friends, she felt overwhelming joy at being recognized for work that truly helps people.

Her advice to young people reflects her own unexpected path: you don't need to have everything figured out in advance. Sometimes the most meaningful work comes from being willing to change direction when you discover a deeper purpose.

Today, students dealing with mental health challenges have a new ally in their corner, one that never judges and always shows up ready to help them build healthier thought patterns.