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About

Natalie Friedman is a pioneering researcher at the intersection of human-robot interaction (HRI) and design, whose work reimagines how robots look, move, and connect with people. Her core research areas include exploratory prototyping, robot clothing and aesthetics, and assistive robotics for people with developmental disabilities. Friedman’s most influential contribution is her advocacy for dressing robots—not as a gimmick, but as a functional design strategy. Her 2021 paper "What Robots Need From Clothing" (33 citations) and the related "Designing Functional Clothing for Human-Robot Interaction" (10 citations) argue that clothes can help robots adapt to new contexts and improve their utility. Her widely cited opinion piece "Fake It to Make It" (49 citations) establishes exploratory prototyping as essential for designing novel robot behaviors. Friedman also applies her insights to socially meaningful problems: her work on telepresence robots for people with developmental disabilities (14 citations) shows how robotic systems can enhance self-efficacy and community access. More recently, she has explored expressive furniture robots and bystander affect detection, demonstrating her breadth. With over 120 total citations and a growing portfolio of design-driven HRI research, Friedman is shaping how we think about robots as socially embedded, aesthetically considered, and functionally clothed partners.