Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Samuel Olatunji is a human-robot interaction researcher whose work sits at the intersection of assistive robotics, aging, and user-centered design. His research focuses primarily on developing socially aware robotic systems that support older adults and individuals with cognitive or mobility impairments, with a strong emphasis on ensuring these technologies align with real human needs and social expectations. Olatunji's most influential contribution, "Toward Socially Aware Person-Following Robots" (2018, 58 citations), established a foundational framework for designing robots that navigate social conventions — a deceptively complex challenge the field had largely overlooked. This work, alongside his user-centered feedback design studies and physical training robot systems (48 citations), demonstrates his commitment to translating technical capabilities into genuinely usable assistive tools. A recurring theme across his portfolio is the concept of levels of automation (LOA), explored in multiple contexts including eldercare teleoperations and human-robot collaboration under varying workload conditions. His 2021 model integrating LOA with transparency in assistive robots (34 citations) provides practitioners with practical design guidance. What distinguishes Olatunji is his participatory design methodology — consistently involving older adults directly in the design process — evident in his immersive design study (33 citations) and ongoing in-home deployment research. Collectively accumulating over 247 citations, his body of work meaningfully advances how robots can respectfully and effectively serve vulnerable populations.