Eli Lilly and Purdue to Share HRI Field Learnings at RoboBusiness
At the upcoming RoboBusiness conference, representatives from Eli Lilly and Purdue University will discuss bridging the gap between academic research and industrial automation through field studies.
Radwan AbdulhadiEditor and technology writer
Bridging Academia and Industry in Automation
Human-robot interaction is widely considered one of the final remaining frontiers in industrial automation capable of unlocking stronger safety standards. However, the vast majority of HRI research is traditionally conducted on university campuses, resulting in data that rarely survives contact with a live production floor. Running formal studies inside a working manufacturing site presents significant logistical hurdles, causing many potential academia-industry partnerships to stall before progressing past initial meetings.
To address these challenges, industry and academic experts are preparing to share practical insights at the upcoming RoboBusiness event. Faraz Yousuf, a senior principal robotics application engineer at Eli Lilly, and Dr. Anastasia Kouvaras Ostrowski, an assistant professor at Purdue University, are scheduled to lead a specialized session titled “Human-Robot Interaction: Bridging Academia and Industry.”
Conference Details and Field Study Insights
RoboBusiness 2026 is scheduled to take place on October 20 and 21 in Santa Clara, California. The collaborative presentation by Yousuf and Ostrowski will occur at 11:45 a.m. PT during the first day of the conference.
During their session, the speakers will outline what they discovered while conducting HRI field studies involving manufacturing and warehouse operators working alongside live automated guided vehicles. Furthermore, the presentation will detail early findings concerning how workers perceive robots on the active manufacturing floor, alongside the structured playbook the team developed to make their collaborative partnership repeatable and sustainable.
Background on the Industry and Academic Presenters
Faraz Yousuf serves as a senior principal robotics application engineer at Eli Lilly, focusing on the critical intersection of human-robot interaction, robot safety, inspection robotics, and complex system integration within pharmaceutical manufacturing environments. His professional background encompasses designing, deploying, integrating, and supporting automated storage and retrieval systems, automated guided vehicles, autonomous mobile robots, and inspection quadrupeds across diverse process areas. Additionally, Yousuf contributes to safety standards committees such as ANSI R15.08 Part 3, ISO 25785-1, and TR R15.108, which focus specifically on safety protocols for dynamically stable robots.
Dr. Anastasia Kouvaras Ostrowski is an assistant professor in the School of Applied and Creative Computing, holding a courtesy appointment in the School of Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University. Her research supports design and implementation methodologies within human-computer and human-robot interaction. Ostrowski specializes in participatory design and co-design approaches, particularly regarding the deployment of robots and artificial intelligence systems across industrial, manufacturing, and home contexts. Her broader work also emphasizes developing governance and safety policies for emerging technologies within these operational ecosystems.
Academic Background and Event Context
Prior to her appointment at Purdue University, Dr. Ostrowski served as a postdoctoral researcher in the Social and Ethical Responsibilities of Computing program within the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing, as well as in the Personal Robots Group at the MIT Media Lab. She earned her Ph.D. in media arts and sciences from MIT with a primary focus on equitable technology design, and completed her bachelor's and master's degrees in biomedical engineering at the University of Michigan, concentrating on engineering design processes and creative idea generation.
RoboBusiness functions as a premier annual gathering for commercial robotics developers from around the globe. Attendees utilize the conference to gather up-to-date insights from leading experts in robotics and artificial intelligence regarding cutting-edge research, evolving industry trends, and innovative applications deployed across vital sectors including manufacturing, healthcare, agriculture, and logistics. The comprehensive event also provides extensive networking opportunities designed to help professionals connect with peers and industry leaders.
Sources
- The Robot ReportEli Lilly, Purdue to share field learnings on human robot interaction at RoboBusiness
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