Virginie Demulier

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Virginie Demulier’s research lies at the compelling intersection of haptics, human-robot interaction, and affective computing, where she investigates how touch can convey emotion between humans and machines. Her most influential work, "Haptic Human-Robot Affective Interaction in a Handshaking Social Protocol" (2015, 38 citations), explores how the physical dynamics of a handshake—pressure, duration, and movement—can transmit emotional cues during human-robot greetings. This foundational study demonstrates that subtle variations in haptic feedback significantly influence how people perceive the emotional dimensions (such as arousal and valence) expressed by a humanoid robot. By systematically analyzing how tactile interactions shape social bonding and emotional understanding, Demulier’s contributions have advanced the design of more intuitive, emotionally-aware robots for applications in therapy, education, and collaborative work. Her research highlights the often-overlooked role of touch in human-robot communication, offering critical insights for creating machines that can engage in natural, empathetic social exchanges. With her work cited in robotics, psychology, and human-computer interaction fields, Demulier is recognized for bridging engineering and social science to make robots more responsive to human emotional needs.