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About

Juliane Reichenbach is a pioneering researcher in human-robot interaction (HRI), focusing on how embodiment, emotional expression, and social feedback shape collaboration between humans and robots. Her work investigates the critical role of a robot’s physical presence and form—whether screen-based, anthropomorphic, or zoomorphic—in influencing user perception and trust. Reichenbach’s most cited paper, “In Your Face, Robot!” (103 citations), demonstrates that a character’s embodiment significantly affects how users interpret its emotional expressions, a foundational insight for designing socially adept robots. She has also made seminal contributions to understanding social reinforcement in HRI, exploring how praise and punishment function in human-robot teams. Her studies on “the carrot and the stick” (27 citations) and collaborative game scenarios reveal that people naturally apply social norms—like praising or scolding—to robots, especially when they are physically present. Additionally, her work on a dog-leash interface for leading robots (43 citations) addresses practical challenges in everyday HRI tasks, such as robotic porters. Reichenbach’s research bridges engineering and psychology, offering actionable design principles for robots that are not only functional but also socially intuitive, with over 230 total citations underscoring her influence in shaping emotionally intelligent, collaborative robotics.