Tobias Benz

Papers

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About

Tobias Benz investigates the intersection of human-robot interaction and social dynamics, with a particular focus on how robots can assume leadership roles. His most-cited work, "Robot leadership–Investigating human perceptions and reactions towards social robots showing leadership behaviors" (2023, 17 citations), explores whether social robots can effectively guide human teams by displaying leadership-related behaviors. This research addresses a critical question in collaborative robotics: can machines navigate complex social hierarchies and influence human decision-making? Benz's findings suggest that robots capable of exhibiting leadership cues may reshape how we design autonomous systems for workplaces and teams. Earlier, in "Using multisensory cues for direction information in teleoperation: More is not always better" (2017, 8 citations), he examined how auditory, haptic, and visual signals affect human operators controlling mobile robots remotely. This work challenges the assumption that adding sensory channels improves performance, revealing that cognitive overload can hinder teleoperation efficiency. Benz’s contributions bridge social robotics and practical human-robot collaboration, offering insights for designing robots that are both socially adept and operationally effective. His research is particularly relevant for students and engineers developing autonomous systems that must interact seamlessly with human counterparts in real-world settings.