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About

Divya Srinivasan’s research lies at the intersection of human factors engineering, cognitive ergonomics, and robotics, with a focus on how humans adapt to and collaborate with intelligent wearable and industrial systems. Her work is pioneering in understanding the cognitive and physical dynamics of human–robot interaction, particularly in the context of powered exoskeletons and physical human–robot collaboration (pHRI). A key contribution is her use of eye-tracking metrics to predict mental workload and performance during pHRI, revealing how cognitive load fluctuates as operators learn a robot’s motor-control dynamics. She has also critically examined the biomechanical and behavioral impacts of whole-body powered exoskeletons, showing that their use during level walking is far from seamless—highlighting the gap between technological promise and real-world usability. Her studies on sensemaking, adaptation, and agency in human-exoskeleton synchrony explore the unique dual cognitive-physical coupling between human and machine. With over 50 citations across her most-cited works, Srinivasan’s research is shaping the future of workplace automation, shared autonomy, and the design of truly collaborative robotic systems.