Aila Khan

About

Aila Khan is a pioneering researcher at the intersection of human-robot interaction (HRI) and service marketing, with a focus on how social robots can be effectively deployed in public and commercial spaces. Her work has been instrumental in adapting traditional service quality frameworks to robotics, most notably through the development of the SERVBOT framework, which applies SERVQUAL dimensions to evaluate perceived service quality in HRI. Khan’s meta-review on social robots in public spaces (50 citations) remains a foundational reference in the field, synthesizing global trends while highlighting the underexplored Australian context. She has also explored the persuasive potential of robots, investigating how factors like robot size, number, and emotional auditory cues influence human behavior—from reducing high-sugar drink consumption to delivering guilt, humor, or non-emotional appeals. Her early discourse analysis of the Nao robot on Twitter (#naorobot, 12 citations) provided unique insights into public perception and usage trends. With a growing body of work spanning robot embodiment, service quality, and persuasion, Khan is shaping how we design robots that are not only functional but socially and emotionally intelligent.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Social Robots in Public Spaces: A Meta-review

   50 citations · 2018
2. 2
   Pepper in the Library" Students' First Impressions

   16 citations · 2020
3. 3
   Perceived Service Quality in HRI: Applying the SERVBOT Framework

   15 citations · 2021
4. 4
   #naorobot

   12 citations · 2016
5. 5
   The Effectiveness of Robot-Enacted Messages to Reduce the Consumption of High-Sugar Energy Drinks

   7 citations · 2022
6. 6
   Impact of Robot Size and Number on Human–Robot Persuasion

   6 citations · 2024
7. 7
   Human Perception of Emotional Responses to Changes in Auditory Attributes of Humanoid Agents

   2 citations · 2023

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links