Elsa Forberger

Papers

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About

Dr. Elsa Forberger is a pioneering researcher at the intersection of human-robot interaction and service technology, whose work critically examines how social robots reshape customer experiences. Her most-cited study, "Social Robots in Service Contexts: Exploring the Rewards and Risks of Personalization and Re-embodiment" (2021, 20 citations), investigates the delicate balance between the benefits of personalized service and the potential discomfort of surveillance when robots recognize and adapt to individual customers. This foundational research has become essential reading for scholars and practitioners navigating the ethical deployment of autonomous agents in retail, hospitality, and healthcare settings. Forberger’s contributions illuminate the psychological and social dynamics of human-robot encounters, revealing how re-embodiment—the ability of a digital agent to inhabit a physical robot—can either build trust or provoke unease. Her work challenges the tech industry to prioritize user autonomy and transparency, ensuring that service robots enhance rather than exploit customer relationships. By framing personalization as both a reward and a risk, Forberger has established herself as a critical voice in responsible AI design, shaping how future systems will balance efficiency with ethical integrity.