Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Samantha Stedtler is an emerging researcher whose work sits at the intersection of human-robot interaction (HRI), social cognition, and the ethics of robotic agency. Her research investigates how timing, behavior, and social dynamics shape the way humans perceive and interact with robots. Stedtler's most-cited work explores the nuanced effects of temporal delays in HRI, demonstrating that while hesitancies can undermine perceptions of robot competence, they may simultaneously foster engagement and relatability — findings with meaningful implications for the design of socially responsive robots. Her pilot study using the Wizard of Oz paradigm further interrogates how even subtle behavioral timing influences human judgment, highlighting the sophistication with which people read social cues. Beyond interaction dynamics, Stedtler takes a critically informed approach to robot agency, examining the often-invisible human labor that sustains robotic functionality in real-world settings, and challenging assumptions of autonomous agency through a relational, feminist lens. Her work on blame attribution tackles pressing ethical questions about how social identity and robot errors interact to risk reinforcing harmful stereotypes. Though early in her career — with publications accumulating citations across 2024–2025 — Stedtler is establishing herself as a thoughtful voice bridging HRI design, social ethics, and critical theory.