Maya F. Dunlap

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About

Dr. Maya F. Dunlap is a pioneering researcher at the intersection of human-robot interaction and nonverbal communication, with a focus on enhancing social presence in telerobotic systems. Her work addresses a critical gap in robotics: while technical capabilities have advanced, commercially available telerobots remain socially impoverished for both pilots and local users. In her highly cited 2022 paper, "Embodied Expressive Gestures in Telerobots: A Tale of Two Users," Dr. Dunlap demonstrates that integrating expressive gesturing and tangible interaction can transform these machines from mere tools into socially capable partners. Her research has garnered 6 citations in a short time, signaling its growing influence in the field. By centering the experiences of both the remote operator and the co-located user, she challenges the field to design for richer, more intuitive communication. Dr. Dunlap’s work is not only technically innovative but also deeply human-centered, laying the groundwork for telerobots that can truly connect with people in healthcare, education, and remote collaboration.