Papers
19
Total Citations
317
H-Index
8
About
Nanja Smets is a human factors researcher specializing in human-robot teaming, operator interface design, and cognitive systems for safety-critical environments. Her work has made substantial contributions to the field of disaster robotics, particularly Urban Search and Rescue (USAR), where she has pioneered user-centric methodologies for designing and deploying systems that enable effective collaboration between human operators and robotic platforms. Smets played a central role in the EU-funded NIFTi project, which produced her most influential work on designing and deploying human-robot team systems in disaster response contexts, accumulating nearly 160 citations across related publications. Her research addresses critical challenges in maintaining human situation awareness during high-stakes operations, examining how multi-modal control interfaces and cognitive load management can enhance operator performance when lives are at stake. Beyond disaster response, Smets has expanded her research into immersive teleoperation systems, explosive ordnance disposal, and intelligent electronic partners for space missions. Her work on real-time cognitive load modeling demonstrates a deep commitment to understanding human performance under pressure. With over 280 cumulative citations, her sustained focus on bridging human cognition with robotic systems has meaningfully advanced how researchers and practitioners approach human-robot collaboration in complex, dynamic environments.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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- 5Experience in system design for human-robot teaming in urban search & rescue21 citations · 2025
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