Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Qirui Sun is a pioneering researcher at the intersection of social robotics, human-robot interaction, and cultural heritage preservation. His work centers on designing embodied AI agents that make robots more engaging, personalized, and culturally meaningful—particularly for children and museum visitors. Sun’s most notable contribution is Sparkybot, a customizable robotic platform that allows children to shape their robot’s character and interaction behavior, fostering deeper engagement through embodied agent technology. He also created Robotic Xiàngshēng Theater, which uses cartoon-style animatronics to bring Chinese intangible cultural heritage to life, and Taotie, a museum robot that leverages cultural metaphors to enhance educational experiences. In parallel, Sun advances technical robotics with his work on lidar-inertial-wheel SLAM, improving navigation reliability for ground robots in complex environments. Though early in his career, his papers have already garnered citations across robotics and human-computer interaction venues, and his projects have been demonstrated in real-world museum and educational settings. Sun’s research uniquely bridges engineering, design, and cultural storytelling, offering a compelling vision for robots that are not just functional but also emotionally and culturally resonant.