Christopher L. Peters

KTH Royal Institute of Technology, University of Utah

Papers

Total Citations

159

H-Index

About

Christopher L. Peters is a leading researcher at the intersection of human-computer interaction, social robotics, and human-agent engagement. His work fundamentally explores how people—particularly children—form trust, motivation, and sustained engagement with autonomous agents. Peters’ most influential contribution is his comprehensive 2020 overview of engagement in human-agent interaction, which has garnered over 140 citations and serves as a foundational reference for designing adaptive, user-aware interfaces. He has also made notable strides in applied robotics, including a 2025 study on robotic-assisted knee arthroplasty demonstrating that robotic systems require fewer soft-tissue releases and reduce early postoperative pain—a finding with significant implications for surgical precision and patient recovery. In the realm of child-robot interaction, Peters investigates how regulatory focus design influences children’s trust and learning motivation, as seen in his 2021 work on social robots in educational settings. His research uniquely bridges theoretical frameworks of engagement with practical applications in healthcare and education, offering actionable insights for designing robots that are not only functional but also psychologically attuned to human users.