JKUAT Social Robotics Lab

Our Team

We have a team of five MSc. Engineering students at the Department of Computing, JKUAT, supported under the Social Robotics Lab. The team is led by Dr. Eunice Njeri in collaboration with faculty members from the Department of Computing. The lab's projects focus on designing intuitive social interactions by integrating human-centered design, responsible computing, artificial intelligence, machine learning, computer vision, natural language processing, and affective computing. Our goal is to address societal challenges in education, social training, and social care through innovative and impactful research.

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Responsible Robotics in Social Environments

At the Social Robotics Lab, we are dedicated to designing robots that enhance social interaction and support human well-being through empathetic and inclusive design. Our research explores how robots can understand and respond to human social cues, promote social inclusion, and navigate the ethical challenges of robotic technology. We aim to advance the field of social robotics by developing innovative approaches that integrate robots into everyday environments—education, social training, homes, and healthcare settings—where they can assist with tasks, support learning, and provide companionship to individuals with specific needs.

Teaching Responsible Computing - Methodology

Training Approach

Our methodology emphasizes hands-on learning and real-world design scenarios to make Responsible Computing (RC) and ethics both practical and engaging.

Team-Based RC Projects – Students collaborate in teams to design projects that integrate RC principles, fostering critical thinking and ethical awareness.
Ethical Training Workshops – We conduct structured workshops incorporating design scenarios, case studies, and expert guest lectures to provide a comprehensive understanding of RC.
Industry and Academic Engagement – Guest lecturers from both industry and academia share insights on responsible technology development.
Applied Learning – Students apply the RC knowledge gained to their projects, enabling them to internalize ethical principles and implement them in real-world scenarios.

Impact and Outreach

Transformative Outcomes

The JKUAT Social Robotics Lab initiative is already making significant strides. Currently, there are five ongoing MSc projects by Software Engineering students at the Department of Computing, JKUAT, supported under the Social Robotics Lab. These projects explore various aspects of social robotics and machine learning, with a focus on education, social training, and social care. As part of our ongoing responsible computing project, we have trained 247 final-year students on Responsible Computing (RC) and the PAUSE RC framework, 100+ students on RC and robotics, 30 faculty and 35 postgraduate students on responsible computing, and 50 primary school girls on robotics. Our inaugural HCI Workshop also brought together 75+ participants, including researchers, faculty, postgraduate students, and industry experts from JKUAT, PAUSTI, Moi University, and USIU-Africa.

Explore some of the impact the lab has made:

RC and Robotics Training

100+ students trained on Responsible Computing (RC) and robotics.

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PAUSE Framework Training

247 final-year students trained on Responsible Computing (RC) and the PAUSE RC framework.

Faculty & Postgraduate Training

30 faculty and 35 postgraduate (PhD & MSc) students trained on responsible computing and embedding ethics into student projects.

Inaugural HCI Workshop

75+ participants, including researchers, faculty, postgraduate students, and industry experts from JKUAT, PAUSTI, Moi University, and USIU-Africa.

Girls in Robotics

50 primary school girls trained on robotics, promoting diversity and inclusion of women in STEM.

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Robotics Research Team

5 MSc students currently working on robotics research at the lab.

Meet the Team

Student Impact Program

Direct engagement and training of students in robotics and ethical computing practices.

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Responsible AI Webinar

Educational outreach on AI ethics and responsible technology development.

Ethical Design Workshop

Hands-on workshops focusing on ethics in technology design and African perspectives.

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