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About

Priscilla Briggs is a leading researcher in human-robot interaction (HRI), with a focus on the social and perceptual dynamics of multi-robot systems. Her work investigates how humans perceive and respond to nonverbal communication between robots—what she terms “robot telepathy”—and its implications for trust, acceptance, and team performance. In her highly cited 2015 study (45 citations), she explored how covert robot-robot communication affects human perceptions in collaborative tasks, revealing critical insights for designing transparent and trustworthy autonomous teams. Briggs also pioneered the use of robots in healthcare, examining their potential to administer health status surveys to individuals with Parkinson’s disease, whose facial masking can hinder human-clinician communication (29 citations). Her research on the “uncanny actions” of robots (11 citations) challenges traditional notions of the Uncanny Valley, showing that behavior—not just appearance—can evoke discomfort. With over 85 total citations and a growing portfolio of influential work, Briggs is shaping the future of socially aware robotics, particularly in assistive and team-based contexts. Her contributions are essential reading for anyone interested in the human side of autonomous systems.