Janik Sachse

Papers

Total Citations

205

H-Index

About

Janik Sachse is a leading researcher in human-robot interaction, whose work explores how the physical design of robots shapes human perceptions, trust, and social responses. Sachse’s research centers on the critical role of robot body shape in forming first impressions and influencing gender attribution, a line of inquiry that bridges robotics, social psychology, and design. In their highly cited 2019 study, “The (Fe)male Robot: How Robot Body Shape Impacts First Impressions and Trust Towards Robots” (133 citations), Sachse demonstrated that gendered cues in robot morphology significantly affect how people evaluate a robot’s competence, warmth, and trustworthiness. This work builds on their earlier foundational paper, “Shape It – The Influence of Robot Body Shape on Gender Perception in Robots” (72 citations), which systematically examined how subtle design variations can lead users to assign gender stereotypes to machines. By revealing that even non-humanoid robots can trigger gendered expectations, Sachse’s research has profound implications for the ethical design of social robots, helping engineers avoid reinforcing harmful biases. Their studies are widely cited in robotics, human-computer interaction, and gender studies, making Sachse a key voice in the movement toward more inclusive and socially aware robot design.