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About

Katherine Isbister is a prominent human-computer interaction researcher whose work sits at the intersection of social robotics, emotional design, and embodied technology. Her research explores how physical, interactive devices can support human emotional and social well-being, with a particular focus on children and accessible design. Isbister's most-cited contribution centers on an intimate-space socially assistive robot designed to help children regulate their emotions — a Research-through-Design case study that has garnered 35 citations and demonstrates her commitment to translating complex psychological concepts into tangible, user-centered technologies. Her interest in the affective dimensions of design extends to her influential interpretive framework around "cuteness" in HCI, examining how aesthetic qualities can foster joy and comfort in everyday technological experiences. Isbister has also explored robots as vehicles for empathic communication, investigating how gesture-based emotional signaling between small robots can open new modalities of human connection. Her work in STEM education further broadens her impact, developing robotics kits aimed at increasing youth participation in computational fields. Across these threads, Isbister consistently champions design that is emotionally intelligent, inclusive, and deeply attentive to human social experience.