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About

Denise Hebesberger is a prominent researcher at the intersection of social robotics, long-term autonomous systems, and eldercare technology. Her work centers on deploying autonomous service robots in real-world environments, with a particular focus on older adults and healthcare settings, making her a leading voice in human-robot interaction research for vulnerable populations. Hebesberger's most celebrated contribution is her involvement in the STRANDS Project (196 citations), a landmark initiative advancing long-term robot autonomy in everyday environments. Complementing this, her investigations into robot deployment in care hospitals and physical therapy settings for dementia patients (161 and 62 citations respectively) have provided invaluable empirical insight into how robots are socially accepted by both staff and residents. Her real-world trial involving mobile social robots in private senior households (58 citations) further demonstrates her commitment to ecologically valid research. What distinguishes Hebesberger's scholarship is her rigorous mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative performance metrics with qualitative user experience data to understand the nuanced dynamics of human-robot coexistence. Her work on user requirements and staff perspectives in eldercare facilities has directly informed practical robot design and deployment strategies. With over 500 cumulative citations, her research continues to shape how autonomous robots are integrated compassionately and effectively into aging care ecosystems.