Kai Mihata

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About

Kai Mihata is a rising researcher at the intersection of human-robot interaction, social robotics, and adolescent well-being. Their work focuses on designing accessible, emotionally supportive robotic systems that address critical social needs, particularly for young people experiencing isolation. Mihata’s major contributions include pioneering co-design methods with adolescents, as demonstrated in their highly cited 2022 paper "Robots for Connection: A Co-Design Study with Adolescents" (12 citations), which explored how social robots can mitigate loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns. This study engaged teens directly in the design process, ensuring the robots met their unique emotional and social needs. Mihata also developed FLEX-SDK, an open-source software development kit that enables anyone to create a social robot using just two tablet screens (2022, 10 citations). This tool democratizes robotics by providing intuitive interfaces for designing robot faces, expressions, and interactions, lowering barriers for researchers and educators. By combining participatory design with accessible technology, Mihata is shaping a future where social robots serve as compassionate companions for vulnerable populations. Their work has been recognized for its practical impact, bridging technical innovation with deep human empathy.