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About

Bryan Abendschein is a leading researcher in human-machine communication, with a focus on how robot companions and AI agents can support human well-being. His work primarily explores the intersection of social robotics, mental health, and communication, particularly in educational and isolated settings. A standout contribution is his study on using robot animal companions in academic libraries to mitigate student stress, which found significant reductions in acute stress and increased positive affect (33 citations). During the COVID-19 pandemic, he conducted a qualitative study on socially-isolated college students’ in-home use of a robot companion animal, revealing how novelty experiences evolve during prolonged interaction (24 citations). His research also examines how agent type—human, AI, or social robot—and message type influence perceptions of social support, showing that emotional support from robots can be as credible as from humans (21 citations). In education, Abendschein has investigated human-robot teaming configurations, demonstrating that social robots can enhance interpersonal communication perceptions and affective learning in higher education (14 citations). His work is pivotal in understanding the role of non-human agents in providing social support and reducing stress, with implications for libraries, classrooms, and beyond.