Owen Noel Newton Fernando
Nanyang Technological University, National University of Singapore
Papers
8
Total Citations
102
H-Index
4
About
Owen Noel Newton Fernando is a pioneering robotics researcher whose work sits at the fascinating intersection of human emotion, culture, and intelligent machines. Best known for developing the concept of **Cultural Robotics**, his landmark 2013 paper exploring the evolution of social robots into culturally aware entities has garnered 62 citations and remains a foundational reference for researchers examining how robots might participate in — and shape — human cultural life. Fernando is also a key architect of **Lovotics** (Love + Robotics), a research program aimed at engineering reciprocal emotional bonds between humans and robots, with contributions spanning system design and affective audio interfaces. His work extends into practical healthcare applications, notably a Doctor Robot capable of performing physical skin disease examinations and supporting telemedicine in underserved communities. Earlier in his career, Fernando addressed child safety in digital environments through **Petimo**, an interactive robotic toy designed to shield young users from the risks of online social networking. Across his body of work, Fernando consistently bridges technical innovation with profound human concerns — emotional well-being, cultural identity, healthcare access, and child protection — establishing him as a uniquely humanistic voice in contemporary robotics research.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1Cultural Robotics: The Culture of Robotics and Robotics in Culture62 citations · 2013
- 2A Design Process for Lovotics13 citations · 2011
- 3
- 4An affective interactive audio interface for Lovotics7 citations · 2011
- 5Petimo4 citations · 2009
- 6Petimo4 citations · 2009
- 7
- 8Connected online and offline safe social networking for children2 citations · 2011