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About

Michiel Joosse is a robotics and human-robot interaction researcher whose work centers on socially intelligent robot behavior, proxemics, and the deployment of service robots in real-world public environments. He is perhaps best known for his contributions to the SPENCER project, which produced a socially aware robot designed to guide passengers through busy airports — a landmark achievement that has garnered over 260 citations and demonstrated the practical viability of autonomous social robots in complex, crowded settings. Joosse's research consistently explores how robots can navigate human social norms, from how closely a robot should stand to a person (examined in his widely cited proxemics studies) to how cultural differences shape expectations for robot approach behaviors. His work on robot personality reveals that task context significantly influences users' personality attributions, helping designers craft more effective human-robot interactions. He also developed BEHAVE-II, a revised measurement instrument for assessing user attitudes toward social robots, reflecting his commitment to rigorous evaluation methodology. With over 600 cumulative citations across his most recognized papers, Joosse has made enduring contributions to understanding the nuanced social dynamics between humans and robots, providing both theoretical grounding and practical guidelines for deploying robots ethically and effectively in everyday human environments.