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About

Norman Makoto Su is a leading voice in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Computer-Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW), and Human-Robot Interaction (HRI), whose work critically examines the values, ethics, and futures embedded in technology design. His most cited work, "Futuristic Autobiographies" (73 citations), introduces an innovative design fiction method that empowers participants to articulate their values about future technologies. Su’s research on sex robots, notably in "Of Dolls and Men" (71 citations), provides a rare qualitative analysis of real-world user interactions, challenging dominant narratives around intimacy and technology. A recurring theme in his scholarship is the interrogation of roboticists themselves: his papers "Integrating roboticist values into a Value Sensitive Design framework" and "Configuring the User" reveal how engineers’ implicit values shape the design of humanoid robots, often at the expense of diverse user perspectives. By centering the voices of both users and designers, Su’s work pushes the field toward more reflexive, inclusive, and socially aware technology development. His contributions are essential reading for anyone interested in the ethical dimensions of emerging technologies.