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About

Martien G.S. Schrooten is a cognitive and social robotics researcher whose work sits at the fascinating intersection of human-robot interaction, social cognition, and aging. Schrooten's research focuses primarily on how humans perceive and respond to robotic gaze cues, with particular attention to age-related differences in these processes. Their most cited work, "Age-Related Differences in the Perception of Robotic Referential Gaze in Human-Robot Interaction" (2022, 24 citations), highlights the critical importance of designing socially assistive robots that account for the natural cognitive changes accompanying aging. A recurring theme across Schrooten's portfolio is the gaze cueing effect — the tendency for humans to automatically follow the gaze of others — and how this translates to robotic agents. Notably, their 2023 study demonstrating that robotic gaze directs human attention even without visible eyes reveals the powerful, low-level mechanisms underlying social attention. Further work exploring mentalizing and mental state attribution in robot interactions adds meaningful depth to our understanding of how humans anthropomorphize machines. Collectively, Schrooten's contributions provide an empirical foundation for developing more effective, age-sensitive social robots, carrying significant implications for eldercare technology and assistive robotics design.