Human-Robot Interaction

The interdisciplinary field studying how humans and robots communicate, collaborate, and coexist. In accessibility contexts, HRI research explores how robots can be designed to support people with disabilities in workplaces, homes, and public spaces — including collaborative robots (cobots) that share physical tasks, socially assistive robots that provide coaching or companionship, and robotic aids that extend physical capabilities. Key challenges include designing interaction methods accessible to people with diverse abilities, ensuring robots preserve user autonomy, and creating adaptive systems that respond to individual needs.