Nah Young Lee

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About

Nah Young Lee is a human-robot interaction researcher whose work explores the subtle social and cognitive dynamics that make robotic systems more effective partners for people. Her research centers on two key areas: designing robots that build rapport through natural social cues, and preserving human autonomy in collaborative tasks. In her highly cited 2017 study on hand gestures and verbal acknowledgments, Lee demonstrated that simple social behaviors from robots significantly improve human-robot rapport, a finding with 27 citations that has influenced subsequent work in socially assistive robotics. Her 2018 paper on supporting human autonomy during robot-assisted medication sorting (18 citations) addresses a critical challenge in healthcare robotics: ensuring that automation enhances rather than diminishes user control. Lee’s contributions are notable for bridging technical interaction design with psychological insights, showing that effective human-robot collaboration depends as much on social fluency as on task performance. Her work has particular relevance for assistive technologies in aging populations and clinical settings, where maintaining user dignity and agency is paramount.