Papers
36
Total Citations
869
H-Index
19
About
Karola Pitsch is a leading researcher in human-robot interaction (HRI), specializing in how robots can engage humans in natural, socially contingent interactions. Her work bridges ethnomethodology, conversation analysis, and robotics to design robots that understand and respond to human social cues. Pitsch’s major contributions include pioneering the use of ethnographic fieldwork to inform robot behavior, particularly in museum guide scenarios. Her 2009 paper “Revealing Gauguin” (81 citations) introduced an innovative robot guide that uses interactional resources to explain art exhibits, while “The first five seconds” (61 citations) demonstrated how stepwise entry into interaction secures sustained engagement. She also showed that robots can shape human tutoring behavior—her 2014 study (48 citations) revealed that robot feedback influences how people demonstrate actions, challenging unidirectional learning models. With over 500 total citations, Pitsch’s work has been foundational for developing robots that operate in real-world settings with untrained users. Her research on opening interactions (51 citations) and motivation in fitness companions (50 citations) further extends her impact, making her a key figure in creating robots that are not just functional but socially intelligent.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1Revealing Gauguin81 citations · 2009
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- 4IEEE International Symposium on Robot and Human Interactive Communication60 citations · 2009
- 5How to Open an Interaction Between Robot and Museum Visitor?51 citations · 2017
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- 8Tutor Spotter: Proposing a Feature Set and Evaluating It in a Robotic System44 citations · 2011
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- 10Robot feedback shapes the tutor’s presentation33 citations · 2013