Jianan Zhao

Papers

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About

Jianan Zhao is a pioneering researcher at the intersection of human-robot interaction (HRI) and multisensory communication, with a primary focus on how non-visual cues—particularly scent and voice—shape user perceptions of social robots. Their most cited work, "Crossmodal Interactions in Human-Robot Communication: Exploring the Influences of Scent and Voice Congruence on User Perceptions of Social Robots" (2025), represents a groundbreaking contribution to the field. By systematically investigating how olfactory and auditory stimuli interact to influence emotional and social responses to robots, Zhao has opened a new frontier in HRI, challenging the field's traditional emphasis on visual and auditory design alone. This research demonstrates that congruent scent-voice pairings can significantly enhance user trust, likability, and perceived anthropomorphism of social robots, offering practical insights for designing more emotionally resonant robotic companions. Though early in their career, Zhao's work has already garnered attention for its innovative methodology and potential applications in assistive robotics, healthcare, and consumer technology. Their findings underscore the importance of crossmodal design in creating more natural and engaging human-robot interactions, positioning Zhao as a rising leader in multisensory HRI research.