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About

Gerd Bruder is a leading researcher at the intersection of virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and human-robot interaction, whose work fundamentally explores how humans perceive and interact with virtual and robotic agents. His research spans critical areas including social robotics, immersive virtual environments, and the psychological dynamics of human-surrogate relationships. Bruder’s most impactful contribution is his comprehensive systematic review of a decade of research on human interaction with social robots (82 citations), which has become a foundational resource for the field. He has pioneered investigations into novel interaction paradigms, from immersive point cloud virtual environments (57 citations) to the use of AR animals as companions (14 citations), demonstrating how technology can replicate and enhance human-animal bonds. His large-scale study on surrogate physicality and gesturing in public spaces (12 citations) provides crucial insights into how a robot’s physical presence and movements shape human social responses. Bruder’s work on social priming with virtual humans (5 citations) and the calibration of trust in human-robot teams (2 citations) pushes the boundaries of how we design believable and effective autonomous agents. His research is essential reading for anyone exploring the future of human interaction with intelligent machines.