Savanna Spazak
Papers
1
Total Citations
2
H-Index
1
About
Dr. Savanna Spazak investigates the intersection of human-robot interaction and emergency response, with a primary focus on how people behave when guided by robots during crises. Her most-cited work, "Using Virtual Reality to Simulate Human-Robot Emergency Evacuation Scenarios" (2022, 2 citations), builds on her foundational discovery that individuals will follow a robot’s lead to an exit—even when the robot is clearly faulty—during simulated emergencies. This finding challenges assumptions about trust in automation and has critical implications for designing evacuation protocols in smart buildings, hospitals, and public spaces. By leveraging virtual reality, Spazak creates high-fidelity, ethically sound experiments that replicate life-threatening scenarios without putting participants at risk. Her research bridges cognitive science, robotics, and safety engineering, offering practical insights for developing robots that can effectively guide people under stress. Though early in her career, Spazak’s work is already shaping conversations on human compliance with autonomous systems in high-stakes environments. She is a rising voice in the field, known for rigorous experimental design and a commitment to translating lab findings into real-world safety solutions.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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