MinJoong Kim

Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology

Papers

Total Citations

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About

MinJoong Kim’s research lies at the intersection of human-robot interaction and service robotics, with a particular focus on designing natural, socially engaging behaviors for autonomous systems. His most-cited work, “Design of idle motions for service robot via video ethnography” (2009), addresses a critical gap in robotics: how robots should behave during standby states when no explicit human input is given. By applying video ethnography, Kim analyzed human idle behaviors to inform the design of subtle, lifelike motions—such as small head turns or shifts in posture—that make service robots appear attentive and approachable rather than inert. This contribution has been foundational for creating more intuitive and socially acceptable robots in public and domestic settings, earning 5 citations as a pioneering study in the field. Kim’s work underscores the importance of non-verbal communication in robotics, bridging engineering and social science to enhance user trust and comfort. His research continues to influence the development of expressive, context-aware service robots, demonstrating that even moments of “doing nothing” can be carefully designed to improve human-robot interaction.