Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Miguel Faria is a leading researcher in human-robot interaction, with a focus on making robots more intuitive and socially aware in collaborative settings. His work centers on legible robot motion—designing movements that clearly communicate a robot’s intentions to humans, especially in multi-party or multi-user environments. Faria’s major contributions include pioneering studies on how spherical robots can use motion to signal goals, as demonstrated in his highly cited 2016 paper “Follow me” (20 citations), and advancing the understanding of implicit communication in complex social interactions. His 2018 paper “Project INSIDE” (45 citations) explores autonomous social interaction in autism therapy, showcasing the real-world impact of his research. Faria has also investigated ad hoc teamwork, where robots must assist humans without prior coordination, and extended legibility to sequential decision tasks. With over 120 total citations, his work bridges robotics, cognitive science, and human factors, offering practical insights for designing robots that collaborate seamlessly in homes, hospitals, and workplaces. His achievements include developing the Collaborative Probabilistic Movement framework and contributing to the growing field of socially assistive robotics.