Tan Yeow Kee

Institute for Infocomm Research, A*STAR Graduate Academy

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Tan Yeow Kee is a pioneering researcher in socially assistive robotics, with a primary focus on developing robotic systems to support children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). His work bridges robotics, artificial intelligence, and cognitive science to create interventions that improve social and communicative skills. His most influential study, "Robot-Assisted Training of Joint Attention Skills in Children Diagnosed with Autism" (2015, 51 citations), systematically examined how robot-assisted therapy can enhance joint attention—a critical cognitive mechanism often impaired in autism. This work laid foundational evidence for the efficacy of robotic tools in therapeutic settings. Yeow Kee also introduced the CuDDler robot (2013, 19 citations), an affective social robot capable of recognizing and responding to users' emotional cues, demonstrating how robots can engage in meaningful, emotionally attuned interactions. Additionally, his early work on deploying robots in classroom environments (2012, 8 citations) explored the practical challenges and benefits of integrating robotic companions into real-world educational settings for preschool children with autism. Through these contributions, Yeow Kee has advanced the understanding of human-robot interaction, showing how robots can serve as effective, empathetic partners in developmental therapy and education.