Ulrike Bruckenberger
Papers
2
Total Citations
74
H-Index
2
About
Ulrike Bruckenberger is a pioneering researcher in human-robot interaction (HRI), with a focus on how people perceive and engage with robots in public, urban spaces. Her work bridges robotics, social psychology, and media studies, exploring the complex relationship between science fiction portrayals and real-world robot acceptance. In her highly cited study “The Good, The Bad, The Weird” (52 citations), she demonstrated that people’s evaluations of a physical robot are profoundly shaped by their prior exposure to robotic characters in film and mass media—a finding that has become foundational for designing socially acceptable robots. Bruckenberger also led the user-centered development of IURO (Interactive Urban Robot), a direction-requesting service robot that navigates city streets solely by asking pedestrians for help, without relying on preloaded maps. Over a three-year development cycle culminating in a successful field trial (22 citations), she showed how iterative, human-centered design can create robots that are not only functional but also welcomed by the public. Her work is essential reading for anyone interested in designing robots that truly fit into our social world.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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