Jennifer Piacentini

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Jennifer Piacentini is a pioneering researcher in human-robot interaction, with a focus on how people form mental models of autonomous systems. Her most-cited work, "Mental Models of a Mobile Shoe Rack" (2021, 13 citations), challenges conventional assumptions by revealing that users often lack direct access to a robot’s internal workings, instead constructing intuitive, often inaccurate, understandings over time. Based on a long-term, in-the-wild qualitative study, Piacentini’s research highlights the critical gap between technical design and user perception—a contribution that has shaped how roboticists approach transparency and trust. Her work is notable for its methodological rigor, combining ethnographic observation with hypothesis generation to capture real-world interactions. Though early in her career, Piacentini’s insights into mental models have already influenced the design of more explainable and user-friendly robots. Her studies underscore the importance of understanding human cognition in technology deployment, making her a rising voice in the field of socially aware robotics.