List of faculty members

SUMI, Kaoru Professor

Advancing Persuasive & Affective Human–AI Interaction (PAHAI) for behavior change, learning, and immersive experiences.

Kaoru Sumi is a Professor at Future University Hakodate, Japan, specializing in
Persuasive & Affective Human–AI Interaction (PAHAI), an interdisciplinary field combining human–AI interaction, affective computing, and behavior change technologies.
Her research focuses on human–AI interaction, affective computing, persuasive technologies,
and intelligent agents, with applications in behavior change, education,
and immersive XR environments.

Recent Activities and Roles

• Forthcoming Book: Affective Learning and Serious Games, CRC Press (to be published soon)
• Invited Research Fellow, Giner de los Ríos Program, University of Alcalá, Spain (Sept. 2025)
• Associate Editor, Behaviour & Information Technology, Taylor & Francis (since 2024)
• Associate Editor, Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence – Section: AI for Human Learning and Behavior Change (since 2025)
• Editorial Board Member, JoVE (Journal of Visualized Experiments) (2025-2026)
• Guest Editor, Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence – Research Topic: Next-Generation Persuasive Technologies for Human–AI Interaction and Behavior Change (2025–2026)
• General Chair, Persuasive 2026 (March 2026)
• Volume Editor, Persuasive 2026: Proceedings of the International Conference on Persuasive Technology (Springer LNCS 16476, 2026)
• Guest Editor, JoVE Methods Collection: Interactive Technologies for Behavior Change and Emotional Engagement
• Chair, 1st IEEE Workshop on Interactive Systems, Affective Computing Technologies and Applications (ISAC), IEEE COMPSAC (2024)
• Coordinator, IEEE Japan Council WIE (2025–)
• Chair, IEEE Sapporo WIE (2020–)

Current Calls for Papers

• Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence:
  Next-Generation Persuasive Technologies for Human–AI Interaction and Behavior Change Research Topic Page
• JoVE Methods Collection: Interactive Technologies for Behavior Change and Emotional Engagement – Special Issue Page

Honors and Awards

• Senior Member, IEEE
• Senior Member, ACM
• Best Technical Design Paper Award, International Conference on Computers in Education (ICCE), 2020
• Best Full Paper Award, International Conference on Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS), 2019
• IEEE Brain Winner, Brain-Computer Interface Hackathon, IEEE SMC 2018

Achievements

• ORCiD
• Google Scholar
• researchmap
• Web of Science
• Loop

Research Interests

Affective Computing

Research is conducted to evaluate how nonverbal information such as facial expressions and gestures affects communication.
This includes emotion recognition using physiological signals (e.g., EDA and ECG) and the development of emotional expression techniques.

Persuasive Technology

This research area focuses on persuasive technologies that support users in behavior change and decision-making.
Effective persuasive methods are designed and evaluated using virtual agents and emotional elements.

Human-Agent Interaction

Studies are conducted on interactions between humans and agents, including humanoid and animal-like forms.
By combining affective computing and persuasive technology, the effects of agents’ emotional expressions and dialogue behaviors on users are evaluated, particularly in immersive environments such as VR.
Human-robot interaction is also explored using a social robot called “Furhat,” which is capable of changing facial expressions. Emotional responses are analyzed using physiological sensors.

Metaverse

Research in the metaverse focuses on communication and learning support using agents, as well as on the Proteus effect.
In addition, the mechanisms and potential applications of sensory illusions (phantom sense) in virtual and mixed reality (VR/MR) environments are being investigated.

Learning Support & Serious Games

This area explores learning through dialogue with agents, affective feedback, and serious games that promote active engagement.
Immersive learning environments using VR/MR are designed to enhance educational and training outcomes by leveraging learners’ motivation and emotional states.

Attractive Factors of the Research

Interest is particularly directed toward how non-verbal information such as emotions and virtual spaces affects humans.
This field remains full of open research questions. System development is also approached as a way to realize novel ideas for supporting human activities.

Selected Major Papers & Talks

A. Selected Journal Articles

• Kaoru Sumi and Ryo Okuyama. “Training System for Converting Current Visual Information to Bird’s Eye View.” Frontiers in Psychology, 2024.12.
  [Link]
• Ahmed Salem and Kaoru Sumi. “Deception Detection in Educational AI: Challenges for Japanese Middle School Students in Interacting with Generative AI Robots.” Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence, 2024.12.
  [Link]
• Nitchan Jianwattanapaisarn, Kaoru Sumi, et al. “Emotional Characteristic Analysis of Human Gait while Real-Time Movie Viewing.” Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence, 2022.
  [Link]
• Kaoru Sumi and Shusuke Sato. “Experiences of Game-Based Learning and Reviewing History of the Experience Using Player’s Emotions.” Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence, Vol.5, 2022.
  [Link]
• Kaoru Sumi and Riichiro Mizoguchi. “Talkabout: E-negotiations via Concept Tree Generation.”
  Journal of Decision Systems, Vol. 13, No. 4, pp. 477–499, 2005.
  [Link]
• Kaoru Sumi and Toyoaki Nishida. “Telme: A Personalized, Context-Aware Communication Support System.”
  IEEE Intelligent Systems, Vol. 16, No. 3, pp. 21–28, 2001.
  [Link]

B. Selected Conference Papers

• Rio Harada and Kaoru Sumi. “Persuasive Technology Through Behavior and Emotion with Pet-Type Artifacts.” Persuasive Technology 2024, LNCS 14636, Springer.
  [Link]
• Kaoru Sumi and Ryoma Tanabe. “Empathy-Driven Persuasion: A Serious Game for Anti-Bullying Education via First-Person Perpetrator Experience.” Persuasive Technology 2025, CCIS 2542, Springer.
  [Link]
• Shusuke Sato and Kaoru Sumi. “Story Generation System Using Player’s Emotions for Review in Game-Based Learning.” 28th International Conference on Computers in Education (ICCE), 2020.
  (Best Technical Design Paper Award)
  [Link]
• Thomas J. Z. Tiam‑Lee and Kaoru Sumi. “Analysis and Prediction of Student Emotions While Doing Programming Exercises.” International Conference on Intelligent Tutoring Systems, LNCS, 2019.
  (Best Full Paper Award)
  [Link]
• Kaoru Sumi. “Learning Story Marketing through Practical Experience of Story Creation System.”
  Interactive Storytelling, LNCS 6432, Springer, pp. 98–110, 2010.
  [Link]
• Kaoru Sumi. “Capturing Common Sense Knowledge via Story Generation.”
  International Conference on Intelligent User Interfaces (IUI 2009), SIGCHI ACM, February 2009.
  [Link]

C. Books / Edited Volumes

• Kaoru Sumi. Affective Learning and Serious Games. CRC Press, forthcoming.
  [Link]
• Kaoru Sumi, Raian Ali, and Roberto Legaspi (Eds.). Persuasive 2026: Proceedings of the International Conference on Persuasive Technology. Springer LNCS, 2026.
  [Link]

D. Book Chapters

• Kaoru Sumi and Mizue Nagata. “Evaluating a Virtual Agent as Persuasive Technology.”
  In: Psychology of Persuasion, Nova Science Publishers, 2010.
  [Link]

E. Recent Invited / Keynote Talks

• Kaoru Sumi: Designing Emotionally Persuasive and Inclusive AI: From Social Robots to XR Agents
  (Originally announced as: Building a Transdisciplinary Career: My Journey in AI, Human Interaction, and Engineering Fields),
  IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium, Medical Imaging Conference, and Room Temperature Semiconductor Detectors Symposium (2025 IEEE NSS MIC RTSD), November 2025. Keynote and Panel
• Kaoru Sumi: Persuasive Technology and Emotions,
  BTIW2024 at ACM MobiSys, June 2024. Keynote Talk
• Kaoru Sumi: Artificial Intelligence for the Future of Learning and Experiences in Training Students,
  APEC ICT Skill Standards for AI, May 2023. Plenary Talk
• Kaoru Sumi: Human to Human Interaction using Virtual Agents Posing as Another Person,
  International Conference on Artificial Life and Robotics (ICAROB2022), February 2023. Plenary Talk
• Kaoru Sumi: Human-Computer Interaction via Affective Computing,
  ICAROB, January 2016, Okinawa. Invited Talk
• Kaoru Sumi: Communication with a Virtual Agent via Facial Expressions,
  IJCAI Workshop on Empathic Computing (IWEC’13), August 2013, Beijing. Invited Talk

Supervision

Ph.D. Supervision

• Total doctoral supervision experience: 8

Representative Ph.D. Dissertation Titles

• Affective Modelling and Feedback in Programming Practice Systems
• Human Gait Analysis of Different Emotions in Real-Time Video Viewing
• The Influence of Social Robots on Emotions and Persuasion
• Effectiveness of Emotional Appeals in Digital Marketing: Cross-Cultural and Individual Differences in Consumer Persuasion

International Academic Service

• External Referee for Promotion and Tenure Review
  York University, Canada
• PhD Dissertation Committee Member
  De La Salle University, Philippines
• PhD Dissertation Committee Member
  Thammasat University, Thailand

Career Outcomes of Graduates

• Academic-track positions at universities, research institutes, and corporate research laboratories

I welcome discussions on doctoral program development, joint supervision, and international collaboration.

Join Us

We welcome international students and researchers who are passionate about Human–Agent Interaction, Persuasive Technology, and Affective Computing.
Our laboratory provides a collaborative research environment where students can develop both research and technical skills through real-world experiments and interdisciplinary projects.

Admission Policy and Degree Level

Our laboratory primarily recruits Ph.D. applicants who are committed to pursuing a research-oriented career in Human–Agent Interaction, Persuasive Technology, and Affective Computing.

We aim to train independent researchers, and therefore place strong emphasis on sustained research engagement and international publication, including submissions to competitive international conferences and journals.

Master’s applicants are generally not recruited.

Applicants seeking a short-term Master’s degree without a strong commitment to research and Ph.D.-level study are not a good fit for this laboratory.

In particular, applicants whose primary goal is employment in Japan are not aligned with the mission of this laboratory.

Desired Skills and Background

Applicants should have practical experience and technical ability in at least one of the following areas:

• Programming and Game Development: Experience with Java, C++, C#, Unity, or Unreal Engine; skills in interactive system design, VR/AR, or simulation environments.
• Physiological Signal Processing and Data Analysis: Experience with biosensors (e.g., EEG, EDA, heart rate, EMG); signal processing, statistical analysis, or visualization (MATLAB, R, Python, SPSS).
• Machine Learning and Deep Learning: Experience with Python, TensorFlow, or PyTorch; interest in behavioral modeling, affective computing, or intelligent agents.
• Other Relevant Skills: Ability to propose or explore innovative integrations between educational or interactive technologies and AI, or other creative approaches related to the lab’s research domains.

Applicants should be technically self-sufficient and capable of implementing and testing systems independently.

Language

Daily discussions and meetings are conducted mainly in English.
Basic Japanese ability is a plus for everyday communication and fieldwork in Japan.

Academic Requirements (for MEXT or Highly Competitive Scholarships)

Applicants are expected to have a strong academic record and clear evidence of research potential.

Recommendations from previous supervisors are considered an important factor in the evaluation process.

Demonstrated research ability through publications, theses, or technical project experience is highly valued.

While candidates with outstanding academic performance are preferred, applicants with strong research potential may also be considered.

Funding Opportunities

At present, there are no internal university scholarships available for international graduate students.

Most students in this laboratory are self-funded or receive support from external foundations and competitive scholarships such as MEXT.

Applicants are encouraged to actively seek external funding opportunities.

Application Process

If you are interested in joining the lab, please send the following documents to Prof. Kaoru Sumi by email:

• CV (including academic background and relevant programming or technical skills)
• Research proposal or statement of interest (clearly describing your research interests and goals)
• List of publications or technical projects (if any)
• Transcript (official or unofficial)

Please note that inquiries without sufficient academic preparation, relevant skills, or clear research interests may not receive a response.

Applicants are encouraged to carefully review the research themes of the laboratory before contacting us.

Contact

Prof. Kaoru Sumi
Future University Hakodate, Japan
Email: kaorus_at_fun.ac.jp
(Please replace “_at_” with “@” when sending emails.)

We receive a large number of inquiries from prospective students. Due to limited capacity, only applicants who meet the requirements and demonstrate strong research motivation will be considered.

Applicants are encouraged to carefully review the research themes of the laboratory before contacting us.

If you are interested in applying, please follow the application process described above.

For inquiries about other research areas or laboratories at Future University Hakodate, please contact them through the official admission page and email edu_at_fun.ac.jp.
(Please replace “_at_” with “@” when sending emails.)