Alexandra C. Kirsch

Munich University of Applied Sciences, Institute for Advanced Study

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Alexandra C. Kirsch is a leading researcher in human-robot interaction (HRI), with a focus on developing autonomous systems that can fluidly coordinate with people. Her work centers on two key areas: plan-based control for joint human-robot activities and human-aware navigation. In her seminal 2010 paper, "Plan-Based Control of Joint Human-Robot Activities" (26 citations), Kirsch pioneered frameworks that allow robots to infer and adapt to human intentions during shared tasks, enabling more natural collaboration. She further advanced the field with her 2012 study, "Increasing perceived value between human and robots — Measuring legibility in human aware navigation" (17 citations), which introduced metrics for evaluating how clearly a robot’s movement communicates its goals to nearby humans. This work, presented to an international audience, helped establish legibility as a core design principle in HRI. Kirsch’s contributions have shaped how robots are programmed to be both predictable and responsive, bridging the gap between autonomous decision-making and human expectations. Her research continues to influence the development of socially intelligent robots in domestic, industrial, and service settings.