Mark W. Kharas
Papers
1
Total Citations
91
H-Index
1
About
Mark W. Kharas is a leading researcher at the intersection of human-robot interaction (HRI) and gerontechnology, dedicated to understanding how social robots can meaningfully support older adults. His work challenges top-down design assumptions, instead championing qualitative, user-centered approaches that foreground the voices and lived experiences of aging populations. Kharas’s most cited paper, “What do Older Adults Want from Social Robots? A Qualitative Research Approach to Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) Studies” (2022, 91 citations), exemplifies this mission by revealing the nuanced preferences and concerns of older users—insights that directly inform more empathetic and effective robotic design. By bridging social science methods with engineering development, he has helped shift the field toward participatory design, ensuring that technology serves actual human needs rather than abstract technical goals. His contributions are particularly impactful for students and researchers seeking to build assistive technologies that are not only functional but also socially and emotionally resonant. Kharas’s work continues to shape how we think about aging, autonomy, and the ethical integration of robots into daily life.
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Top Papers
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