Research exchange
At Robotics Day, the Question Is Who a Robot Helps
Purdue demonstrations prompted Park to think about purpose, accessibility, and human connection alongside technical possibility.
Original LinkedIn post:
Published on ELARA:
A visit to Purdue Robotics Day left Chorong Park with new ideas about robots for care, education, and companionship. In an April 6, 2026, reflection, she connected the demonstrations to a question running through her research: what makes a robot genuinely useful to people? [1]
Park emphasized designing for a particular purpose, with well-being and accessibility guiding the choices. For her, a robot's capabilities matter in relation to the everyday experience they could support, especially for older adults. [1]
She credited Rua M. Williams, Anastasia Kouvaras Ostrowski, and Sooyeon Jeong for sharing projects and perspectives that expanded her thinking. The exchange connected technical demonstrations with the human side of interaction. [1]
Park hoped to continue the conversation at CHI 2026. Her takeaway from the visit was less about a single standout machine and more about the direction of design: building around access, purpose, and connection. [1]
Sources
Adapted from Chorong Park's LinkedIn post. LinkedIn images are presented in their original order.