"Turning Robots into Everyday Objects"... KIST's Sona Kwak Wins Top HCI Honor

ACM SIGCHI Special Recognition Award:
International Recognition for Human-Centered Robotic Design

The human-centered design approach, which integrates robots seamlessly into everyday objects and environments rather than treating them as mere "machines," has received international recognition. It is being evaluated as evidence that domestic research prioritizing a "people-centered" approach over the technology itself has demonstrated its competitiveness in the global HCI (Human-Computer Interaction) field.

The Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) announced on the 22nd that Sona Kwak, Senior Researcher at the Center for Intelligent Interaction, received the 'SIGCHI Special Recognition Award' from ACM SIGCHI at the international academic conference 'CHI 2026,' held in Barcelona, Spain.

KIST Intelligent Interaction Research Center Senior Researcher Sona Kwak (third from left) is taking a commemorative photo after the award ceremony with (from left) Professor Kentaro Toyama of the University of Michigan, Professor Hiroshi Ishii of the MIT Media Lab, and Dr. Hansoo Lee, a postdoctoral researcher at Imperial College London dispatched by KIST. Provided by KIST

SIGCHI is the world's largest academic community in the HCI field, and this award is considered one of the most prestigious honors in the field, with a comprehensive evaluation not only of academic achievements but also of industrial and societal impact.

'Robotic Product' Paradigm: Expanding Robots into Everyday Life

Senior Researcher Kwak has proposed a new design paradigm in the fields of human-robot interaction (HRI) and robotic product design, expanding the concept of robots from independent machines to "robotic products."

In her early research, she investigated the impact of applying social cues such as human gaze, language, and gestures to robots on user perception and trust, thereby establishing design principles for human-robot interaction. Subsequently, she redefined the very concept of robots by combining perception, cognition, and action functions with everyday objects such as cups, furniture, and doors.

In particular, she received high praise for introducing the concepts of "multi-robot systems," in which multiple robotic products collaborate to provide services, and the "mediator," which manages these systems in an integrated manner, thus presenting a collaboration-based robotic ecosystem model.

This research has demonstrated industrial scalability by leading to actual implementation and commercialization through educational robot "HangulBot," collaborative robot system "CollaBot," modular robotic furniture "oOoBOT," and transformable robotic space "PopupBot."

The significance of this award is further heightened by the fact that her research philosophy, which seeks to integrate robots into living environments through human-centered design, has received international recognition beyond mere technological achievements.

Kwak stated, "The international recognition of the importance of human-centered robot design and university-industry collaborative research is a meaningful result. I will continue to expand my research so that robots can operate naturally within everyday environments and improve quality of life."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.