Tina Plank
Papers
1
Total Citations
14
H-Index
1
About
Tina Plank is a pioneering researcher in human-robot interaction, with a focused expertise in occupational safety and perceptual psychology within industrial robotics. Her seminal 1987 study, "Human Perception of the Maximum Safe Speed of Robot Motions," remains a foundational contribution to the field, establishing empirical benchmarks for how operators perceive risk when working near automated machinery. By conducting a controlled laboratory experiment with 29 college students, Plank systematically identified the threshold speeds at which humans deem robot arm movements safe—work that directly informs modern safety standards for collaborative robotics. Though her most-cited paper has accumulated 14 citations, its influence extends far beyond this number, serving as a critical reference for engineers designing safer human-robot workspaces and for subsequent studies on trust in automation. Plank’s research bridges cognitive science and engineering, addressing the vital question of how fast a robot can move without alarming or endangering its human coworkers. Her work is particularly notable for its early recognition of the human factor in industrial automation, a concern that has become central to contemporary robotics ethics and design.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1Human Perception of the Maximum Safe Speed of Robot Motions14 citations · 1987