Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Chuanxiong Zheng is a pioneering researcher in human-robot interaction, with a focused expertise in social robotics and autonomous storytelling. His work centers on developing socially assistive robots that can engage humans in dynamic, emotionally resonant interactions—from one-on-one storytelling to facilitating group discussions. Zheng’s major contributions include creating personalized, adaptive storytelling systems for the desktop social robot Haru, where he integrates human-centered reinforcement learning to tailor narratives to evolving user preferences. His 2022 paper on personalized storytelling with Haru has garnered 10 citations, establishing a foundation for non-verbal, emotionally expressive robot communication. In subsequent work (2024), he advanced autonomous storytelling through reinforcement learning, enabling robots to adjust their performance based on real-time user feedback. Zheng also explored Haru’s role in group dynamics, developing systems that assist discussions and mediate social interactions. His research on shaping robot game-playing through human demonstrations and evaluative feedback further demonstrates his innovative approach to learning from human input. With a growing citation impact and a portfolio of novel, human-centered applications, Zheng is shaping the future of how social robots integrate into daily life, making them more intuitive, responsive, and emotionally intelligent companions.