I am a senior researcher and project leader at the DFKI Language Technology Lab [ ∞ ]. Since 2004, I have been leading several projects in the area of Human-Robot Interaction.

Over time, we have built up a large group of researchers, focusing particularly on “talking robots:” The Talking Robots group [ ∞ ]. We are interested in developing theories and systems for exploring what makes a robot understand and produce spoken dialogue. Our research ranges from fundamental research, to applied-and-out-in-the-field work such as Urban Search & Rescue, or child-robot interaction in hospital settings.

1. •Since 2010 I am the coordinator for an EU-funded international project on Urban Search & Rescue, called NIFTi [ ∞ ]. We closely work together with first responders to develop systems for human-robot teams which can explore disaster sites, to provide early situation assessments.
   
   

2. •In July 2012 I co-lead a NIFTi human-robot team to assist the Vigili del Fuoco in damage assessment, in earthquake-hit Mirandola, Italy [ ∞ ].
   
   

3. •Since 2012 I am a coordinator for human-robot collaboration in the NATO-SAS-RTG-097 on robotics for future NATO missions [ ∞ ].
   
   

4. •In 2012 I aided the National Academies of Science to organize a US government-sponsored workshop on human-machine collaboration.
   
   

5. •Since 2012 I am a co-chair of the IEEE RAS Technical Committee on Robot Ethics [ ∞ ]