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About

Xinyan Yu is an emerging researcher at the forefront of human-robot interaction (HRI), with a particular focus on how autonomous robots navigate and communicate within complex urban environments. Their work addresses some of the most pressing challenges facing the deployment of delivery robots and autonomous vehicles in shared public spaces, including pedestrian communication, contextual adaptability, and spontaneous human-robot collaboration. Yu's most impactful contributions explore how robots can effectively signal their intentions and limitations to bystanders. Notably, their research on augmented reality interfaces for mobile robots and playful help-seeking strategies for urban robots has garnered significant attention, accumulating over 20 citations each within a year of publication. A particularly innovative thread in their work examines how robots can solicit assistance from strangers when encountering situations beyond their capabilities — reframing bystanders not as passive observers but as collaborative partners. Drawing on methods ranging from expert focus groups and design probes to field studies and analysis of user-generated video content, Yu brings a richly human-centered perspective to robotics research. With a growing body of work spanning autonomous vehicles, uncertainty communication, and AI-assisted co-creation, Xinyan Yu is rapidly establishing themselves as a distinctive voice in real-world HRI design.