Sophie Lumineau

Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Ethologie animale et humaine

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About

Sophie Lumineau is a pioneering researcher in the field of animal-robot interaction, focusing on the mechanisms of social attachment and behavioural development in birds. Her key research areas include ethorobotics, social bonding, and the influence of artificial agents on animal cognition and spatial behaviour. Lumineau’s most notable contributions involve demonstrating that young quail chicks can form social attachments to autonomous mobile robots, effectively using them as surrogate parents or peers. Her landmark 2011 study (33 citations) showed that chicks raised with a heat-emitting robot exhibited altered spatial behaviour in exploration and detour tests, highlighting the robot’s role in shaping developmental trajectories. Her 2016 work (30 citations) further established the foundational requisites for animal-to-robot social attachment in gallinaceous birds, providing a robust experimental framework for studying social influences without the confounding variables of live animals. These studies have been instrumental in advancing our understanding of how social cues—whether biological or robotic—guide behavioural development. Lumineau’s work bridges robotics and behavioural biology, offering profound insights into the plasticity of social bonds and the potential for technology to model natural social systems.