Brittany A. Duncan
Texas A&M University, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Georgia Institute of Technology
Papers
22
Total Citations
316
H-Index
10
About
Brittany A. Duncan is a pioneering researcher in human-robot interaction, specializing in the design and evaluation of small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (sUAVs) for safe, comfortable, and communicative collaboration. Her foundational work, including the first known human-subject study on comfortable approach distance with sUAVs (59 citations), established critical guidelines for aerial robot behavior around people. She has systematically investigated how factors like flight path, speed, and altitude influence human comfort and trust, comparing aerial robots to ground robots (35 citations) and developing models for socially acceptable navigation. Duncan’s research extends to using UAV flight paths as a communication medium, enabling robots to convey intent and state through natural, gesture-like motions (32 citations). She has also contributed to real-world applications, deploying sUAVs for disaster response during the SR-530 mudslide in Oso, Washington (27 citations). Her work bridges biology and robotics, drawing inspiration from animal lek behaviors for multi-robot coordination. With over 260 total citations, Duncan’s research is essential reading for anyone designing aerial robots that must operate safely and intuitively in human environments.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1Comfortable approach distance with small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles59 citations · 2013
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- 3Aerial Flight Paths for Communication32 citations · 2021
- 4A Midsummer Night’s Dream (with flying robots)29 citations · 2010
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- 8Lek behavior as a model for multi-robot systems16 citations · 2009
- 9Inference of User Qualities in Shared Control12 citations · 2018
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