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About

I. Han Kuo is a pioneering researcher in human-robot interaction (HRI), with a particular focus on the design and deployment of socially assistive robots for elderly populations. His work has fundamentally advanced our understanding of how older adults perceive, accept, and emotionally respond to healthcare robots, making him a central figure in the intersection of robotics, gerontechnology, and user experience research. Kuo's most cited work, "Age and gender factors in user acceptance of healthcare robots" (2009, 200 citations), established foundational insights into how demographic factors shape robot acceptance — a question that remains critical as service robots become increasingly integrated into personal care settings. His influential 2014 study (157 citations) demonstrated that users respond more positively to robots than tablets when receiving healthcare instructions, a finding with significant practical implications for clinical and aged-care environments. Beyond user psychology, Kuo contributed technically through the development of HealthBot, a dedicated mobile service robot for older adults, and RoboStudio, a visual programming environment enabling accessible robot customization. His research on synthesized voice accents and the emotional consequences of anthropomorphism further enriched the field. With over 900 cumulative citations, Kuo's body of work provides an indispensable foundation for researchers designing human-centered robotic systems for vulnerable populations.