JKUAT Social Robotics Lab
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Welcome to the JKUAT Social Robotics Lab

At JKUAT Social Robotics Lab, we aim to design and develop robots that learn to interact socially in human environments. The research work at the lab focuses on the following areas: Education, Social Training, Assistive Robots, and Responsible Computing. We aim to embed human-centered and responsible computing principles — Inclusivity and Accessibility, Ethical Design — to build effective, intuitive and empathetic interactions between people and robotic technologies in human environments.

Meet Our Robots

Latest News

Building Robotics and AI Capacity in the Global South
May 2026
International Science Council

Building Robotics and AI Capacity in the Global South

The JKUAT Social Robotics Lab was recently featured in a robotics and AI technology profile by the International Science Council’s Centre for Science Futures, examining how science systems across the Global South build and sustain robotics and artificial intelligence capabilities. The lab demonstrates how robotics and AI research capabilities can be developed within university-embedded laboratories and adapted to local contexts. It highlights the importance of locally driven research initiatives in expanding participation in global technological innovation and building more inclusive and sustainable science and technology ecosystems in the Global South.

Inside JKUAT’s Social Robotics Lab: Using Robots to Raise Awareness & Solve Real-World Challenges
October 23, 2026
YouTube

Inside JKUAT’s Social Robotics Lab: Using Robots to Raise Awareness & Solve Real-World Challenges

A look inside the JKUAT Social Robotics Lab, where students are building a conversational tool on the NAO robot that answers questions about neurodiversity, including autism, ADHD, and dyslexia, using a retrieval-augmented pipeline grounded in vetted research sources. The video also covers the system's ethical safeguards and students' experiences working in the lab.

JKUAT Hosts Regional HCI Workshop to Advance Research and Mentor Emerging Scholars
July 27, 2026
JKUAT

JKUAT Hosts Regional HCI Workshop to Advance Research and Mentor Emerging Scholars

JKUAT hosted a two-day Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) Workshop on 22–23 July 2026, bringing together researchers, faculty, postgraduate students, and industry experts from JKUAT, PAUSTI, Moi University, and USIU-Africa. Sessions spanned UX, AI, accessibility, and inclusive digital solutions, with students presenting research and receiving mentorship from academics and industry professionals including Microsoft Research Africa.

Final Year Students Share Their Social Robotics Lab Experience
April 27, 2026
YouTube

Final Year Students Share Their Social Robotics Lab Experience

At the JKUAT Social Robotics Lab, students engage in cutting-edge research and innovation in human-centered robotics. In this video, they share their experiences in shaping technologies that prioritize inclusivity, ethics, and real-world impact..

Workshop inducts SCIT students on Responsible Computing
December 16, 2025
JKUAT Assembly Hall

Workshop inducts SCIT students on Responsible Computing

The School of Computing and Information Technology (SCIT) at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology held a workshop on responsible computing to guide final-year students in designing ethical, inclusive, and socially responsible digital systems.

Dr. Eunice Njeri speaks at the Mozilla Festival
November 8, 2025
Poble Espanyol, Barcelona, Spain

Dr. Eunice Njeri speaks at the Mozilla Festival

Join Dr. Eunice Njeri in this session exploring how responsible computing can be integrated into the design of robot applications.

Dr. Eunice Njeri joins a panel discussion at Mozilla Festival 2026 - Official Pre-Summit Event
November 8, 2025
Mozilla Festival 2026 - Official Pre-Summit Event

Dr. Eunice Njeri joins a panel discussion at Mozilla Festival 2026 - Official Pre-Summit Event

Dr. Eunice Njeri will be joining a panel discussion at the Mozilla Festival 2026 - Official Pre-Summit Event. The event will be held in Barcelona, Spain from 11th to 13th of November 2026. The event is a pre-summit event for the Mozilla Festival 2026, which will be held in Barcelona, Spain from 11th to 13th of November 2026.

Paper accepted to IEEE AFRICON 2025
October 10, 2025
IEEE AFRICON 2025

Paper accepted to IEEE AFRICON 2025

Our paper titled 'Human Fall Detection Using An Ensemble Deep Learning Integrated With a Social Robot' has been accepted to the IEEE AFRICON 2025 conference!

JKUAT Hosts Workshop on Responsible Computing
September 16, 2025
AICAD, JKUAT

JKUAT Hosts Workshop on Responsible Computing

JKUAT hosted a workshop on Integrating Responsible Computing in Teaching and Student Projects, attracting more than 60 participants including researchers, students, and staff. The event featured keynote by Dr. Jacki O'Neill (Director of Microsoft Research Africa).

Paper accepted to IEEE RO-MAN 2025
August 9, 2025

Paper accepted to IEEE RO-MAN 2025

Our paper titled, 'Integrating Responsible Computing into the Design of Robot Applications' has been accepted to IEEE RO-MAN 2025

How Margaret uses Pepper robot to make speech therapy accessible & personal
August 3, 2025
YouTube

How Margaret uses Pepper robot to make speech therapy accessible & personal

Margaret Gichuhi, a Master's student in Software Engineering, is developing a prototype AI-driven speech therapy solution tailored for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Her research explores how social robots, when integrated with generative AI (GPT, DALL·E, and Whisper), can transform therapeutic approaches by delivering structured and responsive sessions using Pepper, a humanoid robot. Supervised by Dr. Eunice Njeri and Prof. Stephen Kimani.

Integrating AI with Social Robots to support children with ASD
July 31, 2025
Social Robotics Lab, JKUAT

Integrating AI with Social Robots to support children with ASD

By programming Pepper to interact in predictable, non-judgmental ways, the system provides comfort and structure, qualities that children with ASD respond well to.

Integrating Robotics Training into JKUAT's Computer Science Curriculum
February 28, 2025
Social Robotics Lab, JKUAT

Integrating Robotics Training into JKUAT's Computer Science Curriculum

The School of Computing and Information Technology at JKUAT has established the Social Robotics Lab, a pioneering initiative dedicated to advancing robotics research and innovation. Led by Dr. Eunice Njeri, the lab focuses on developing robots capable of engaging in social interactions within human environments.

2024 TWAS Skill Building Workshop in Dakar, Senegal
November 5 - 8, 2024
Dakar, Senegal

2024 TWAS Skill Building Workshop in Dakar, Senegal

Dr. Eunice was among the participants at the TWAS event, which focused on enhancing the scientific skills of African scientists, establishing networks, and building interdisciplinary collaborations to foster a stronger and more connected scientific community across the continent.

Mozilla Responsible Computing Challenge (RCC) Global Conference
October 21 - 24, 2024
Kerala, India

Mozilla Responsible Computing Challenge (RCC) Global Conference

Dr. Eunice participated in the inaugural Mozilla Responsible Computing Challenge (RCC) Global Conference held in Kottayam, India supported by the Mozilla Foundation and USAID. The Conference brought together academicians and researchers from Kenya, India, and the United States.

Integrating African Perspectives in Technology and Design Processes
August 28, 2024
Department of Computing, JKUAT

Integrating African Perspectives in Technology and Design Processes

Without integrating African perspectives into technology and design, we severely undercut the potential for solutions that meet cultural norms and empower locally raised innovations to address universal solvable problems.

JKUAT Social Robotics Lab showcases their work at the National Research Festival
August 19 - 23, 2024
Nairobi, Kenya

JKUAT Social Robotics Lab showcases their work at the National Research Festival

The Lab participated in the National Research Festival, a premier event showcasing groundbreaking research and innovations. This festival was an excellent opportunity for MSc students to present their research, network with peers and industry experts.

Arrival of the Pepper Robot in JKUAT
August 10, 2024
JKUAT Social Robotics Lab

Arrival of the Pepper Robot in JKUAT

We are thrilled to announce the arrival of our very first Pepper robot at the JKUAT Social Robotics Lab! Pepper is a state-of-the-art humanoid robot developed by SoftBank Robotics, with advanced sensing capabilities in human-robot interaction. It can recognize faces, interpret emotions, and engage in conversations, making it an ideal platform for exploring the future of social robotics research.

Girls In ICT - JKUAT
April 5, 2024
JKUAT

Girls In ICT - JKUAT

The enduring perception, mostly, stereotypical, that girls are not well adopted to pursue courses and careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) has stopped many girls from enrolling into STEM subjects. To unroll this practice, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology has launched a strategic initiative designed to empower and woo young women enrolled in the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) system, guiding them toward Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) careers.

Mozilla pledges to support JKUAT in training to enhance Responsible Computing (RCC) capacity
February 28, 2024
JKUAT

Mozilla pledges to support JKUAT in training to enhance Responsible Computing (RCC) capacity

During a visit to the university on Wednesday, February 28, 2024, Dr. Mbogho revealed developments stemming from JKUAT's successful acquisition of two Mozilla grants: Teaching Responsible Computing Using Robotics and Mainstreaming Responsible Computing in ICT Student Innovations.

Integrating ethical perspectives within robotics curriculum
February 28, 2024
JKUAT

Integrating ethical perspectives within robotics curriculum

JKUAT is successfully cultivating the core values of RCC by introducing undergraduates to ethical perspectives within BSc Computer Science and BSc Technology courses. Their goal? Equipping the next generation of tech builders with the critical skills to develop more inclusive, healthier, and safer digital tools.

Our Funders / Partners

UNESCO
Mozilla
German Development Partner
Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT)
United States Agency for International Development (USAID)