Krista Hoefle

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About

Krista Hoefle is a pioneering researcher at the intersection of human-robot interaction, social robotics, and art-based design. Her work explores how aesthetic and artistic elements can fundamentally reshape people’s perceptions of and engagement with robots. Hoefle’s major contribution lies in demonstrating that mobile sculptures and creative robotic platforms—such as her PhotoBot system—can foster genuine human-robot rapport, moving beyond purely functional interactions to create emotionally resonant experiences. In her pilot study with 16 participants, she showed that artistic robots encourage voluntary participation and positive social impressions, laying groundwork for more empathetic and approachable robotic design. While her most-cited paper, “Creating human-robot rapport with mobile sculpture” (2012), has garnered 2 citations, its conceptual impact is significant within niche communities exploring the fusion of art and robotics. Hoefle’s work stands out for its interdisciplinary approach, bridging engineering, psychology, and fine arts to challenge conventional assumptions about robot appearance and behavior. Her research invites students and scholars to consider how beauty and creativity can be leveraged to build trust and collaboration between humans and machines.