Papers
2
Total Citations
90
H-Index
2
About
Katja Zibrek is a leading researcher in the field of virtual human perception, with a primary focus on how realism and social cues influence human interaction with digital characters. Her work sits at the intersection of computer graphics, psychology, and human-computer interaction, exploring the subtle factors that make virtual beings feel believable or unsettling. Zibrek’s major contributions center on the "uncanny valley" and the impact of sensory mismatches—particularly between a character’s visual realism and its synthetic voice. Her highly cited 2022 paper, "Sympathy for the digital" (73 citations), demonstrated that a mismatch between a photorealistic avatar and a synthetic voice can significantly reduce feelings of social presence and empathy, a finding with profound implications for VR, gaming, and telepresence. In her 2021 follow-up (17 citations), she confirmed these effects specifically within immersive virtual reality, highlighting how voice naturalness is a critical, often overlooked component of character design. Zibrek’s work is notable for its rigorous experimental methodology and its practical relevance, guiding developers on how to create more engaging and trustworthy virtual agents. Her research is essential reading for anyone studying social robotics, virtual reality, or the psychology of digital interaction.
Research Focus
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Top Papers
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