Bart Craenen
University of Glasgow, Newcastle University, Heriot-Watt University
Papers
8
Total Citations
109
H-Index
7
About
Bart Craenen is a leading researcher in human-robot interaction, specializing in how robotic gestures shape human perception, personality attribution, and social acceptance. His core contributions lie in systematically analyzing how gesture parameters—such as amplitude, speed, and energy—influence users’ subjective ratings on the Godspeed scale, a standard measure of robot likability and anthropomorphism. Through carefully designed experiments involving dozens of human observers, Craenen has demonstrated that modifying gesture dynamics can significantly alter perceived robot personality traits, and that the similarity-attraction effect plays a key role in user preferences. His work on the EU-funded MuMMER project has translated these insights into socially intelligent robots capable of natural interaction in public spaces like shopping malls. With over 100 citations across his most-cited papers, Craenen’s research bridges experimental psychology and robotics, offering practical guidelines for designing more engaging and trustworthy autonomous systems. His recent work on explainable planning for underwater robots further extends his impact into mission-critical domains, cementing his reputation as a versatile innovator in socially aware robotics.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1Shaping Robot Gestures to Shape Users' Perception23 citations · 2018
- 2
- 3MuMMER: Socially Intelligent Human-Robot Interaction in Public Spaces17 citations · 2019
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- 6Building Helpful Virtual Agents Using Plan Recognition and Planning9 citations · 2016
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