Yukiko Seki

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Yukiko Seki is a pioneering researcher in human-robot interaction, specializing in the development of socially aware service robots for elderly care. Her work focuses on enabling robots to navigate the complexities of multi-party settings, where they must manage simultaneous requests from multiple individuals—a critical challenge for real-world assisted-care environments. Seki’s major contributions include designing robots that can prioritize and sequence service provision through non-verbal cues, such as gaze and bodily actions, drawing on ethnographic studies of care workers. Her most cited paper, “Assisted-care robot dealing with multiple requests in multi-party settings” (2011, 9 citations), and its companion works (2011, 7 citations; 2012, 4 citations) collectively lay the groundwork for considerate, context-aware robots that can serve tea or assist the elderly without causing confusion or offense. By translating human caregiving practices into robotic behaviors, Seki’s research bridges robotics and social science, offering practical solutions for aging societies. Her work has been recognized for its innovative approach to robot etiquette, making her a notable figure in the field of assistive robotics.