Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Leanne Hides is a pioneering researcher at the intersection of human-robot interaction and behavioral health, whose work explores how social robots can serve as effective, low-intensity treatment agents. Her research focuses on designing and evaluating robotic interventions for chronic disease management and lifestyle behavior change, particularly for conditions like diabetes and obesity. Hides’ most-cited study (62 citations) demonstrated the feasibility of using social robots to deliver a behavior change intervention targeting high-calorie snack consumption, establishing a novel paradigm for automated health coaching. She further validated this approach in a hospital clinic setting (23 citations), showing that robots could successfully deliver an 8-week diabetes management program. Her methodological contributions include developing and validating measures of user incentives and confidence in robot interactions (21 citations), which proved stable, predictive, and sensitive to changes in robot behavior. This measurement work provides essential tools for the field, enabling researchers to assess and improve user engagement with robotic health agents. Hides’ innovative integration of robotics with evidence-based behavioral science positions her at the forefront of accessible, scalable digital health interventions.