Allison Langer

Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Temple University, University of Pennsylvania, Temple College

Papers

Total Citations

228

H-Index

About

Allison Langer is a leading researcher at the intersection of human-robot interaction, rehabilitation science, and developmental ethics. Her work primarily investigates how socially assistive robots (SARs) can be integrated into therapeutic and educational settings for vulnerable populations, particularly children and individuals undergoing neurorehabilitation. Langer’s most influential contribution is her 2019 study on trust in socially assistive robots for rehabilitation, which has garnered 179 citations and established a foundational framework for understanding user motivation and therapeutic success. She has also pioneered critical discussions on the ethical implications of child-robot interactions, a 2023 paper with 27 citations that addresses stakeholder concerns about social and emotional impacts. Her research uniquely bridges cognitive neuroscience and robot design, as seen in her 2021 work on emerging roles for SARs in neurorehabilitation. Langer’s recent efforts include developing an ontology for generating robot behaviors that support young children’s social development, published in 2024. Through her focus on trust, ethics, and behavioral design, Langer is shaping how robots can safely and effectively augment human care and learning.