# Institute for Humane Robotics

> Defining how robots coexist with humans. Independent research and advisory for robots entering human environments. Our research shows what it takes for people to trust them, and our advisory turns it into actionable insights.

The Institute for Humane Robotics (IHR) is a research and advisory institute. Its mission is successful coexistence between humans and robots: it researches, defines, and standardises what healthy human–machine coexistence looks like, so robots can be deployed successfully and the people they live with can trust them and stay safe. It works with robotics companies, shapes policy and standards (including IEEE P7027), educates the public, and runs the East–West Corridor, bringing the lessons of decades of robot deployment in Asia to Western nations.

## Services
- [Education & Workshops](https://www.humanerobot.org/services/education-workshops): Education & Workshops from the Institute for Humane Robotics build embodied-AI literacy for teams, institutions, and the public through curriculum, hands-on workshops, and media.
- [Research](https://www.humanerobot.org/services/research): The Institute for Humane Robotics' research program studies how embodied AI changes human behavior, development, and relationships, and turns those findings into evaluation frameworks and public reports.
- [Industry Advisory](https://www.humanerobot.org/services/industry-advisory): Industry Advisory is the Institute for Humane Robotics' engagement model for robotics companies whose systems will live with people in homes, hospitals, and schools.
- [East–West Corridor](https://www.humanerobot.org/services/east-west-corridor): The East–West Corridor is the Institute for Humane Robotics' program that brings the lessons of decades of robot deployment in Asia to Western nations, translating what the East already knows into actionable intelligence for the West.
- [Policy & Standards](https://www.humanerobot.org/services/policy-standards): The Institute for Humane Robotics' Policy & Standards work shapes governance frameworks and technical standards, including IEEE P7027, for robots that interact with people.

## Team
- Sara Filipčič, Founder & Executive Director: MSW with 8+ years entrepreneurial experience in digital wellbeing & research in technology’s impact on children. Prev. Founder/CEO of Be Human(e). Techstars ’23, AI-Parent Coaching Platform. Speaker at Harvard, Stanford, WEF Davos, Google for Startups, Humanoid Summit, and MACHINA Summit.
- Roshni Lulla, PhD, Co-Founder & Head of Research: PhD, USC Brain & Creativity Institute, under Professors Antonio Damasio & Jonas Kaplan. Affective neuroscience, moral cognition & misalignment. 10+ years of research across consumer behavior & entrepreneurial experience. Speaker at Wharton, Affectiva, & AI Safety conferences.

## Research
- Our proposal has been accepted for a new IEEE standard. (Accepted · IEEE, 2026). Announcement: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7485771199436914688/
- Empathy from dissimilarity: multivariate pattern analysis of neural activity during observation of somatosensory experience — Lulla, Christov-Moore, Vaccaro, Reggente, Iacoboni, Kaplan · Imaging Neuroscience, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1162/imag_a_00110
- Keep making that face and it will stay that way: cross-cohort prediction of empathy from task-relevant connectivity in task-free data — Reggente, Lulla, Durinski, Kaplan, Iacoboni, Christov-Moore · NeuroImaging, 2026. https://doi.org/10.3390/neuroimaging1030011
- Working memory and emotion regulation: overlapping neural mechanisms — Horner, Lulla, Wu, … Greening · Cognitive, Affective & Behavioral Neuroscience. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Roshni-Lulla-2
- Preventive programs in support of socially and emotionally intelligent usage of technology — Filipčić · University of Zagreb, 2021. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sara-Filipcic
- Web3 & DAOs: an overview of the development and possibilities for implementation in research and education — Filipčić et al. · MIPRO 2022, 2022. https://prvo.academia.edu/SaraFilip%C4%8Di%C4%87

## Events
- Humanoids Summit Seoul (past): Seoul, South Korea · Sep 22–23, 2026
- New IEEE standard (upcoming): Our accepted proposal proceeds toward a new IEEE standard. Date TBA.
- The Empathy Gap (past): Cognitive Security Institute · Sep 9, 2026
- MACHINA Summit (past): Paris · Sara Filipčić & Roshni Lulla, speakers
- Humanoids Summit Tokyo (past): Tokyo · Talk recording
- London AI Hub (past): London · Appearance

## Writing
- AI Is Built to Read You, Not to Mind You — Lulla on Substack. https://betterhalfai.substack.com/p/ai-is-built-to-read-you-not-to-mind
- From the Trolley Dilemma to Robot Sociopaths — Lulla on Substack. https://lullaroshni.substack.com/p/from-the-trolley-dilemma-to-robot

## Frequently asked questions
### What is the Institute for Humane Robotics?
The Institute for Humane Robotics is a for-profit, independent research and standards body that defines how robots coexist with humans. It develops evaluation frameworks, design guidelines, and cross-cultural research for robots entering human environments such as households, education, and healthcare, working with robotics companies, policymakers, and educators.

### What is the East–West Corridor?
The East–West Corridor is the Institute's program bringing the lessons of decades of robot deployment in Asia to Western nations. Japan, Korea, and China have long experience with robots in homes, hospitals, and factories; the US and Europe are building the next decade of embodied AI. The Corridor translates that experience into actionable intelligence.

### What is the mission of the Institute for Humane Robotics?
Successful coexistence between humans and robots. At IHR, we research, define, and standardise what healthy human–machine coexistence looks like — so robots can be deployed successfully, and the people they live with can trust them and stay safe.

### How do I join the Institute for Humane Robotics?
Membership is launching soon for individuals, companies, organizations and governments interested in successful adoption of robots into the society. Join the waitlist to get early access to research, the members network across the USA, Asia and Europe, and market intelligence insights.

### Who is on the Institute for Humane Robotics team?
The core team is Sara Filipčič (Founder & Executive Director) and Roshni Lulla, PhD (Co-Founder & Head of Research, neuroscience and AI alignment).

### Who does the Institute work with?
The Institute works with robotics companies whose systems will live with people, with standards bodies and regulators including the IEEE P7027 working group, and with universities, schools, and healthcare organizations that deploy or study embodied AI. Engagements are selective and purpose-driven.

## Pages
- [Home](https://www.humanerobot.org/)
- [About](https://www.humanerobot.org/about)
- [Services](https://www.humanerobot.org/services)
- [Our work](https://www.humanerobot.org/resources): research, events, talks and writing
- [Glossary & FAQ](https://www.humanerobot.org/glossary): 153 plain-language definitions and questions about robots and AI
- [Join / membership waitlist](https://www.humanerobot.org/join)
- [Contact](https://www.humanerobot.org/contact)

Contact: contact@humanerobot.org
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/institute-for-humane-robotics