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About

Carman Neustaedter is a prominent human-computer interaction researcher whose work centers on telepresence robotics, computer-mediated communication, and distance relationships. Based at Simon Fraser University, Neustaedter has made foundational contributions to our understanding of how people connect, collaborate, and share experiences across geographic distances. His most influential work explores telepresence robots as a medium for bridging physical separation — from attending academic conferences remotely ("To Beam or Not to Beam," 121 citations) to enabling couples to shop together or simply share domestic life across distance. His large-scale deployments of telepresence robots at conferences have generated rare, ecologically valid insights into how these systems perform beyond controlled laboratory settings ("Robotic Telepresence at Scale," 68 citations; "From Being There to Watching," 41 citations). Neustaedter's research is notably human-centered: he investigates not just technical performance but the lived social and emotional dimensions of remote presence, including studies of long-distance romantic relationships and outdoor shared activities like geocaching. His work on haptic feedback ("FeetBack") and autonomous navigation further pushes the boundaries of robot usability. With over 500 cumulative citations across his top works, Neustaedter has meaningfully shaped how researchers and designers think about presence, togetherness, and connection in an increasingly distributed world.