Justin L. Adams

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Justin L. Adams is a leading researcher in disaster robotics, with a focus on how robotic systems are deployed during global crises. His work centers on the intersection of robotics, public health, and emergency response, particularly examining the real-world adoption and impact of ground and aerial robots. Adams made a landmark contribution with his highly cited 2020 review, "Applications of Robots for COVID-19 Response" (40 citations), which systematically analyzed 262 reports covering 203 instances of actual robot use across 34 countries during the pandemic. This work documented 104 different robot models in action, providing the first comprehensive empirical snapshot of robotic disaster response at scale. Building on this, his 2021 study "Adoption of Robots for Disasters" (9 citations) used the COVID-19 response as a natural experiment to understand how robot innovations are adopted during emergencies, offering critical lessons for future disaster preparedness. Adams’s research has been featured in public-facing outlets, including his 2020 article "Robots are playing many roles in the coronavirus crisis" (7 citations), demonstrating his commitment to translating complex findings for broader audiences. His work provides an essential evidence base for designing more effective robotic interventions in future global crises.