Bente Charlotte Weigelin

University of Southern Denmark, Maersk (Denmark)

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Bente Charlotte Weigelin is a researcher at the forefront of understanding human trust in robotics, with a particular focus on healthcare and autonomous systems. Her work critically examines how users develop—and sometimes misplace—trust in robotic technologies. In a seminal 2018 study (13 citations), she investigated trust in medical human-robot interactions using the Universal RoboTrainer, highlighting the unique stakes involved when patients interact with therapeutic robots. Weigelin’s research on autonomous vehicles is equally impactful; her 2017 paper (10 citations) demonstrated the dangerous phenomenon of "over-trust" in self-driving cars, showing that people may blindly trust automation even in emergencies. She further explored this through simulator experiments (2018, 6 citations), revealing critical differences in trust dynamics. Beyond trust, Weigelin has made a significant contribution to broadening participation in STEM. Her 2021 systematic review (10 citations) on using educational robotics to foster girls’ interest in STEM is the first of its kind, providing evidence-based strategies to address gender disparities in the STEM workforce. Through her combined focus on trust, safety, and inclusivity, Weigelin is shaping a future where human-robot interaction is both reliable and equitable.