Akin E. Sisbot

Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique

Papers

Total Citations

352

H-Index

About

Akin E. Sisbot is a leading researcher in human-robot interaction (HRI), with a focus on developing socially intelligent robots that can operate safely and naturally alongside people. His most influential work, the 2006 paper *"How may I serve you?"* (340 citations), fundamentally advanced the field by investigating how a robot should approach and position itself relative to a seated human. Through two live HRI trials involving a robot fetching objects, Sisbot established key principles for socially acceptable robot navigation and proxemics—the study of personal space. This work remains foundational for designing service robots that respect human comfort and social norms. In his 2014 paper *"Human-Robot Interaction: Tackling the AI Challenges"* (12 citations), Sisbot broadened his scope to address core AI challenges in HRI, including dynamic, unstructured environments and complex object semantics. His research bridges robotics, artificial intelligence, and cognitive science, with lasting impact on autonomous systems that must physically interact with humans. Sisbot’s contributions are essential reading for students and researchers working on socially aware robotics, human-aware navigation, and the integration of AI into real-world human-robot teams.