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About

Anna Skinner is a human factors and robotics researcher whose work sits at the intersection of human-robot interaction, cognitive workload, and intelligent training systems. She is perhaps best known for her in-depth analyses of the DARPA Robotics Challenge (DRC), where she examined how human operators collaborated with humanoid robots in high-stakes disaster response scenarios. Her 2015 paper on the DRC Trials garnered 102 citations, establishing her as a leading voice in understanding the practical realities of robot teleoperation under degraded conditions, a thread she continued with her analysis of the 2015 DRC Finals (55 citations). Beyond robotics, Skinner has made meaningful contributions to surgical training research, with her pilot study comparing robotic-assisted surgical simulation systems earning 55 citations and informing how surgeons develop complex procedural skills. Her work on intelligent tutoring systems reflects a broader commitment to evidence-based training design, applying rigorous task analysis methods to support skill acquisition. More recently, she has explored how Wickens' Multiple Resource Theory can inform robot interface design to reduce cognitive overload. Across her career, Skinner's research consistently bridges engineering and human performance, making robotic systems safer, more intuitive, and more trainable for real-world operators.