Sungeun Kim

Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Sungeun Kim is a leading scholar in human-robot interaction, with a particular focus on the sociotechnical dynamics of care robots in aging societies. Her research critically examines how robots are integrated into real-world settings, especially in dementia prevention programs in South Korea. Her most-cited paper, "Talking over the robot" (2020, 10 citations), offers a groundbreaking ethnographic analysis of Silbot, a "dementia-prevention robot," used in a regional health center. Kim reveals that the robot's effectiveness depends not on its autonomous capabilities, but on a "strained collaboration" between the human instructor and the machine—a finding that challenges technocentric assumptions in robotics. This work exemplifies her broader contribution: showing that the success of care technologies is deeply embedded in human labor, social context, and institutional practices. By foregrounding the often-invisible work of human facilitators, Kim has reshaped how researchers and practitioners understand robot deployment in healthcare. Her studies are essential reading for students and scholars interested in the intersection of technology, aging, and social interaction, offering a nuanced, empirically grounded perspective on the promises and pitfalls of robotic care.