Willeke van Vught

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Willeke van Vught is a pioneering researcher in human-robot interaction (HRI), specializing in socio-cognitive engineering and long-term robotic partnerships. Her work centers on designing robots that operate effectively "in the wild," addressing real-world challenges in healthcare and emergency response. Van Vught's most impactful contribution is the development of a socio-cognitive engineering (SCE) methodology for creating a robotic partner to support children with diabetes self-management, a study that has garnered 51 citations. This work demonstrates her commitment to pervasive, enduring human benefits through robotics. She has also advanced the field of long-term HRI by identifying four key design principles—including cloud-based robot control—for sustained interaction, as detailed in her 2021 paper (22 citations). Additionally, van Vught has applied her expertise to disaster response, leading a field exercise where human firefighters collaborated with robots during a realistic industrial mission (18 citations). Her research bridges theory and practice, offering actionable insights for deploying robots in persistent, socially meaningful roles. Van Vught's work is essential reading for students and researchers interested in creating robots that truly integrate into human environments, from pediatric care to emergency services.