Mollik Nayyar

Pennsylvania State University

Papers

8

Total Citations

76

H-Index

4

About

Mollik Nayyar is a researcher specializing in human-robot interaction (HRI) and autonomous systems, with a particular focus on robot-assisted emergency evacuation and trust dynamics between humans and robots. Their work bridges theoretical modeling and real-world application, exploring how robots can effectively guide human crowds to safety during emergencies—a timely and potentially life-saving research agenda. Nayyar's most influential contribution examines the nuanced role of timing in trust repair, specifically when a robot's apology most effectively restores human confidence following a failure (27 citations). This foundational HRI work complements a broader body of research on evacuation strategies, including studies on how robot-provided explanations influence human compliance during crises (14 citations) and how small robot teams can guide significantly larger human crowds using navigation velocity fields and stabilization-based control approaches. Their more recent work advances multi-robot coordination through two-scale modeling frameworks and data-driven evacuee behavior learning, reflecting a methodological maturity across simulation, control theory, and experimental research. With over 70 cumulative citations, Nayyar's scholarship offers valuable insights for researchers designing socially intelligent robots capable of operating effectively—and trustworthily—in high-stakes environments.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

4
H-Index
8
Papers
76
Total Citations
10
Avg Citations/Paper
🏆 Most Cited Paper
When Should a Robot Apologize? Understanding How Timing Affects Human-Robot Trust Repair
27 citations · 2018
📈 Most Prolific Year: 2023 (2 Papers)
🤝 Key Collaborators: 9
🏛 Institutions: Pennsylvania State University

Top Papers

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Key Collaborators

Contact & Links

Available for collaboration
Content generated · 13 days ago