Tom Ziemke

Tom Ziemke is a Professor and Head of the Cognition & Interaction Lab (COIN) at Linköping University's Department of Computer and Information Science (IDA). His research focuses on situated and embodied cognition, particularly in human interaction with autonomous systems such as social robots and automated vehicles. He leads interdisciplinary projects like the BookBot initiative, exploring social robots' role in motivating children's reading. His work bridges cognitive science, robotics, and human-centered design, addressing ethical, social, and technical challenges in human-robot coexistence.

Key research areas include human-robot interaction, social robotics ethics, automated vehicle perception, and long-term human-agent collaboration. Notable collaborations include the Cars As Social Agents (CarSA) workshop and studies on healthcare workers' adoption of welfare technologies. His lab, COIN, emphasizes practical applications in education, healthcare, and urban mobility.

Publications highlight user preferences for robot capabilities, latency effects in teleoperation, and public perception of automated systems. Ziemke advocates for socially responsible robotics design, emphasizing transparency and alignment with human values. His work has been featured in venues like Frontiers in Robotics and AI, and he actively participates in shaping future AI policies through interdisciplinary dialogue.