Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

So Young Sohn is a leading expert in technology management and innovation, with a particular focus on the robotics industry. Her research centers on identifying emerging technologies, forecasting their diffusion, and developing strategic frameworks to enhance their adoption and commercialization. A major contribution is her pioneering work on patent-based Quality Function Deployment (QFD), which she used to identify emerging robot technologies and their associated business models—a paper that has garnered 54 citations. She further advanced this field by applying patent network analysis and quadratic assignment procedures to map technological convergence in robotics, a study cited 53 times. Sohn also developed innovative forecasting methods, combining patent citation data with web search traffic to predict new product diffusion, demonstrating her ability to integrate diverse data sources for practical insights. Her work has directly informed government strategies for revitalizing Korea's intelligent robot industry, as seen in her structural equation modeling of policy impacts. With a career dedicated to bridging academic research and industrial application, Sohn's contributions have shaped how we understand and plan for the future of robotics and technology-driven innovation.