Kasun Karunanayaka

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Kasun Karunanayaka is a multidisciplinary researcher whose work spans the frontiers of human-computer interaction, multisensory technology, and human-robot relationships. Perhaps most notably, Karunanayaka has been a pioneering voice in the emerging field of **Lovotics** — the scientific study of love and intimacy between humans and robots — contributing foundational academic work to a subject once confined to science fiction, accumulating over 33 citations on his seminal 2016 paper alone. His research boldly challenges conventional boundaries by treating emotional and physical human-machine relationships as legitimate subjects of rigorous scholarly inquiry. Beyond robotics, Karunanayaka has made significant contributions to multisensory internet technologies, developing innovative interfaces such as the Thermal Sweet Taste Machine — a groundbreaking device capable of simulating sweet taste sensations through temperature manipulation on the tongue, entirely without chemicals. This work, cited 15 times, points toward a future of richer digital communication engaging all human senses. Earlier in his career, Karunanayaka also addressed pressing social concerns around children's online safety and digital identity. Together, his diverse body of work reflects a researcher unafraid to explore unconventional territory, consistently pushing the boundaries of how humans interact with technology and one another.