About

Woo-Ri Ko is a leading researcher in social robotics, specializing in endowing robots with the social intelligence needed for natural human-robot interaction. Her work centers on machine learning for non-verbal communication, including co-speech gesture generation and adaptive behavior recognition. A key contribution is the development of end-to-end learning frameworks that allow humanoid robots to automatically learn social behaviors—such as handshakes and hugs—from human-human interaction data, moving beyond rigid, rule-based systems. Her most cited paper, "AIR-Act2Act" (2021, 36 citations), provides a crucial dataset for teaching robots these non-verbal cues. Ko also explores task intelligence through neural models of episodic memory and thought, enabling robots to reason and plan motions for complex tasks. Her recent work addresses pressing societal needs, as seen in her 2024 study on human-care robot services for the elderly, which tackles loneliness and depression. With over 100 citations across her top papers, Ko’s research is foundational for creating socially adept robots that can learn, adapt, and meaningfully engage with people in real-world settings.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

6
H-Index
10
Papers
118
Total Citations
12
Avg Citations/Paper
🏆 Most Cited Paper
AIR-Act2Act: Human–human interaction dataset for teaching non-verbal social behaviors to robots
36 citations · 2021
📈 Most Prolific Year: 2020 (2 Papers)
🤝 Key Collaborators: 21
🏛 Institutions: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology

Top Papers

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Key Collaborators

Contact & Links

Available for collaboration
Content generated · 13 days ago