Michael Pilling

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Michael Pilling’s research lies at the intersection of human-robot interaction, autonomous systems, and collaborative robotics, with a focus on how machines perceive, mirror, and adapt to human behavior. His most cited work, “Influence of Upper Body Pose Mirroring in Human-Robot Interaction” (2015, 14 citations), demonstrates that when a robot imitates a person’s upper body posture during conversation, participants perceive the interaction as more engaging and natural—a foundational insight for designing socially aware robots. In “Leader-Follower Strategies for Robot-Human Collaboration” (2017, 10 citations), Pilling formalized adaptive role-switching algorithms that enable robots to fluidly lead or follow based on human cues, advancing teamwork in manufacturing and assistive settings. His ambitious 2017 paper “Mathematics of Autonomy” (10 citations) provides rigorous mathematical frameworks—grounded in control theory, cognitive science, and cyber-physical systems—to distinguish true autonomy from mere automation, exposing the limitations of current AI-driven systems. With over 30 total citations, Pilling’s work is shaping how engineers build robots that not only execute tasks but also understand and mirror human social signals, making him a key voice in the next generation of collaborative autonomous technology.