Kang Lee

University of Toronto, University of California San Diego

Papers

Total Citations

175

H-Index

About

Kang Lee is a pioneering researcher in developmental robotics and human-robot interaction, with a focus on how infants and young children perceive and respond to humanlike machines. His key research areas include the development of intentionality in human-robot interaction, the evaluation of android human-likeness through gaze behavior, and the cognitive mechanisms underlying children's imitation of non-human agents. Lee's major contributions include demonstrating that toddlers as young as 24 months can imitate a robot's goal-directed actions, even when the robot fails to achieve its objective—a finding that challenges assumptions about the uniqueness of human social learning. His work on gaze behaviors has provided critical insights into how androids can be designed to elicit natural human responses, with his 2006 study on evaluating human-likeness through gaze attracting 57 citations. Lee's 2005 study on gaze as a revealer of android human-likeness (37 citations) further established his reputation as a leader in understanding the subtle cues that make robots appear more human. His research has profound implications for the development of socially assistive robots and our understanding of human social cognition.