Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Stephanie Rosenthal is a pioneering roboticist whose work sits at the intersection of human-robot interaction, autonomous mobile robotics, and collaborative intelligence. Best known for her contributions to the CoBots project at Carnegie Mellon University, she has helped develop autonomous service robots capable of navigating complex, multi-floor office environments over thousands of kilometers — research that has garnered over 150 citations. Her foundational work on symbiotic human-robot interaction introduced the compelling idea that robots need not overcome all their limitations independently; instead, they can intelligently seek human assistance, learning over time which people are most available and reliable as helpers. Rosenthal has also made significant strides in robot transparency and communication, exploring how expressive lights, natural language narration, and spatial references help humans better understand robot behavior and intent. Her early involvement in the Valerie roboceptionist project (402 citations) demonstrates a longstanding commitment to designing robots for sustained, meaningful social engagement in real-world environments. Across her career, her research consistently addresses a critical challenge: making autonomous robots not merely functional, but genuinely comprehensible and collaborative partners in everyday human spaces — an increasingly vital goal as robots become more embedded in our lives.