Lan-Yuen Guo

Papers

Total Citations

457

H-Index

About

Lan-Yuen Guo is a pioneering researcher in human-robot interaction (HRI), whose work has fundamentally shaped our understanding of how domestic robots integrate into everyday life. Her key research areas include intimate home technologies, user demographics in robotics, and the social dynamics of human-robot relationships. Guo’s most influential contribution is her groundbreaking study of iRobot’s Roomba, which revealed that owners develop deep, emotional bonds with their vacuuming robots—a phenomenon she famously captured in the title “My Roomba Is Rambo.” This work, published in 2007 and 2008, has garnered over 365 citations combined, establishing it as a foundational text in domestic HRI. Her subsequent study, “Housewives or Technophiles?” (92 citations), further advanced the field by providing the first detailed demographic analysis of robot owners, challenging assumptions about who adopts and bonds with home robots. Through these studies, Guo illuminated the unexpected intimacy between humans and functional home appliances, demonstrating that even mundane robots can become cherished companions. Her research remains essential reading for anyone studying the social implications of robotics in the home.