Selim Soufargi

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Selim Soufargi is a pioneering researcher at the intersection of human-robot interaction and social dining, whose work explores how robotic companions can mitigate the negative health and social consequences of eating alone. His primary research areas include artificial commensality, social robotics, and multimodal interaction design. Soufargi’s major contributions center on developing and evaluating the first social robot companions specifically designed for solo diners. In his 2025 paper "A Social Robot Companion for Individuals Eating Alone," he introduced a groundbreaking system capable of engaging users in multimodal interactions—combining conversational dialogue with gestures and nonverbal behaviors during meals. His related work, "Designing Interactions for Artificial Commensal Companions," systematically examined user enjoyment, social connection, desired features, and concerns regarding robotic dining companions. Though early in his career, Soufargi’s research has already garnered attention, with his foundational papers accumulating citations that establish him as a leading voice in this emerging field. His work holds significant promise for addressing loneliness and improving wellbeing among the growing population of individuals who regularly eat alone.