Brittany Duncan, Ph.D.

Brittany Duncan, Ph.D.

Ross McCollum Associate Professor in the School of Computing at University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Co-Director of the NIMBUS Lab

Posts by Collection

portfolio

Girls, Inc. High School Coding Camp

, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2021

Outreach workshop to 25 high school women from Lincoln Public Schools as an outreach event supported by my NSF CAREER award and our NSF NRI project on Leveraging Environmental Monitoring UAS in Rainforests.

Women in Science Workshop

, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2021

Workshop to 25 high school women from across Nebraska as an outreach event supported by my NSF CAREER award and our NSF NRI project on Leveraging Environmental Monitoring UAS in Rainforests.

publications

Lek behavior as a model for multi-robot systems

Published in In the proceedings of Proceedings of the 2009 international conference on Robotics and biomimetics, 2009

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Recommended citation: Brittany Duncan, Patrick Ulam, Ronald Arkin, "Lek behavior as a model for multi-robot systems." In the proceedings of Proceedings of the 2009 international conference on Robotics and biomimetics, 2009. https://smartech.gatech.edu/bitstream/handle/1853/34121/DuncanEtAl-Lek-Final.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

A preliminary model for comfortable approach distance based on environmental conditions and personal factors

Published in In the proceedings of International Conference on Collaboration Technologies and Systems (CTS), 2012

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Recommended citation: Brittany Duncan, Robin Murphy, "A preliminary model for comfortable approach distance based on environmental conditions and personal factors." In the proceedings of International Conference on Collaboration Technologies and Systems (CTS), 2012. http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/cts.2012.6261117

Autonomous Capabilities for sUAS Conducting Radiological Response: Findings from a High Fidelity Discovery Experiment

Published in Journal of Field Robotics, Special Issue on Near Earth Autonomy, 2013

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Recommended citation: B. Duncan, R. Murphy, "Autonomous Capabilities for sUAS Conducting Radiological Response: Findings from a High Fidelity Discovery Experiment." Journal of Field Robotics, Special Issue on Near Earth Autonomy, 2013. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1147&context=csearticles

Sky Writer: Sketch-Based Collaboration for UAV Pilots and MIssion Specialists

Published in In the proceedings of IEEE/ACM International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction (HRI), 2013

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Recommended citation: Z. Henkel, J. Suarez, B. Duncan, R. Murphy, "Sky Writer: Sketch-Based Collaboration for UAV Pilots and MIssion Specialists." In the proceedings of IEEE/ACM International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction (HRI), 2013. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/iel7/8514113/8542464/08542636.pdf?casa_token=0sGkF6DD9tEAAAAA:7jEeodNdrJJpEPVr5s31IBLHCsOjYyqCoqIIG9ezZO8UNMtg6Xoo9IX_TvMJge4qgu4sBYerYA

Field study identifying barriers and delays in data-to-decision with small unmanned aerial systems

Published in In the proceedings of IEEE International Conference on Technologies for Homeland Security (HST), 2013

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Recommended citation: B. Duncan, R. Murphy, "Field study identifying barriers and delays in data-to-decision with small unmanned aerial systems." In the proceedings of IEEE International Conference on Technologies for Homeland Security (HST), 2013. http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/THS.2013.6699029

AR Browser for Points of Interest in Disaster Response in UAV Imagery

Published in In the proceedings of Computer Human Interaction (CHI), 2014

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Recommended citation: D. Crowley, R. Murphy, A. McNamara, T. McLaughlin, B. Duncan, "AR Browser for Points of Interest in Disaster Response in UAV Imagery." In the proceedings of Computer Human Interaction (CHI), 2014. https://dl.acm.org/doi/pdf/10.1145/2559206.2581171?casa_token=clzqu8t6RcoAAAAA:Ztr7ChLLrjBOzJmPW3bQaBoaBYPX7crEPzEUxXGKSFI3Y_X-j2AShoZlgiWXd7Pth6ytho4fFKzu

Comparison of flight paths from fixed-wing and rotorcraft small unmanned aerial systems at SR530 mudslide Washington state

Published in In the proceedings of 2015 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), 2015

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Recommended citation: B. Duncan, R. Murphy, "Comparison of flight paths from fixed-wing and rotorcraft small unmanned aerial systems at SR530 mudslide Washington state." In the proceedings of 2015 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), 2015. http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/ICRA.2015.7139671

Effects of Speed, Predictability, and Dimensionality on Distancing, Time, and Preference in Human-Aerial Vehicle Interactions

Published in ACM Transactions on Interactive Intelligent Systems (TiiS), 2017

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Recommended citation: B. Duncan, R. Murphy, "Effects of Speed, Predictability, and Dimensionality on Distancing, Time, and Preference in Human-Aerial Vehicle Interactions." ACM Transactions on Interactive Intelligent Systems (TiiS), 2017. https://dl.acm.org/doi/pdf/10.1145/2983927

Investigation of human-robot comfort with a small unmanned aerial vehicle compared to a ground robot

Published in In the proceedings of IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS), 2017

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Recommended citation: U. Acharya, A. Bevins, B. Duncan, "Investigation of human-robot comfort with a small unmanned aerial vehicle compared to a ground robot." In the proceedings of IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS), 2017. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/iel7/8119304/8202121/08206104.pdf?casa_token=6kI_iLy52NsAAAAA:BVw4uFA8xcTBDNoxTNDGdc7KQeUedrfcJ7ODobmmr6KytrdWyMjwdl7YxZTholssOo4VJwjKJA

Investigation of sUAS in Prescribed Fire Teams

Published in In the proceedings of Robots in Groups and Teams: A Computer-Supported Cooperative Work and Social Computing (CSCW) Workshop, 2017

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Recommended citation: Brittany Duncan, Dirac Twidwell, "Investigation of sUAS in Prescribed Fire Teams." In the proceedings of Robots in Groups and Teams: A Computer-Supported Cooperative Work and Social Computing (CSCW) Workshop, 2017. https://hri.cornell.edu/files/2017/01/Duncan-2g5h4s4.pdf

UAS-Rx Interface for Mission Planning, Fire Tracking, Fire Ignition, and Real-Time Updating

Published in In the proceedings of IEEE International Symposium on Safety, Security, and Rescue Robotics (SSRR), 2017

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Recommended citation: E. Beachly, C. Detweiler, S. Elbaum, B. Duncan, "UAS-Rx Interface for Mission Planning, Fire Tracking, Fire Ignition, and Real-Time Updating." In the proceedings of IEEE International Symposium on Safety, Security, and Rescue Robotics (SSRR), 2017. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/iel7/8076857/8088129/08088142.pdf?casa_token=jGnfwuxK1dEAAAAA:eBEzUlUAwXV8n5xPTtsZ6iFtutfSsKmY5nB4a-gOAPQoMYx9Jy4Pf0g64GLLzYg6HHQUIjNkDg

A Drone by Any Other Name: Purposes and End-Users of UAVs Affect Public Support

Published in IEEE Technology and Society Magazine, 2018

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Recommended citation: Lisa PytlikZillig, Brittany Duncan, Sebastian Elbaum, Carrick Detweiler, "A Drone by Any Other Name: Purposes and End-Users of UAVs Affect Public Support." IEEE Technology and Society Magazine, 2018. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/iel7/44/8307124/08307142.pdf?casa_token=5sfGlz4zU6gAAAAA:LrkUl2VQCdGPn-jYDLD9BS3DkjC36_OLiwceE11uhTBbC8TiObd8suItXPaLfViVxyF_dOelaQ

Learning from Users: an Elicitation Study and Taxonomy for Communicating small Unmanned Aerial System States Through Gestures

Published in In the proceedings of ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human Robot Interaction, 2019

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Recommended citation: Justin Firestone, Rubi Quinones, Brittany Duncan, "Learning from Users: an Elicitation Study and Taxonomy for Communicating small Unmanned Aerial System States Through Gestures." In the proceedings of ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human Robot Interaction, 2019. https://par.nsf.gov/servlets/purl/10092678

Aerial Flight Paths for Communication: How Participants Perceive and Intend to Respond to Drone Movements

Published in In the proceedings of Proceedings of the 2021 ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction, 2021

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Recommended citation: Alisha Bevins, Brittany Duncan, "Aerial Flight Paths for Communication: How Participants Perceive and Intend to Respond to Drone Movements." In the proceedings of Proceedings of the 2021 ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction, 2021.

Investigation of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Gesture Perceptibility and Impact of Viewpoint Variance*

Published in In the proceedings of 2021 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), 2021

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Recommended citation: Paul Fletcher, Angeline Luther, Brittany Duncan, Carrick Detweiler, "Investigation of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Gesture Perceptibility and Impact of Viewpoint Variance*." In the proceedings of 2021 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), 2021.

Examining Distance in UAV Gesture Perception

Published in In the proceedings of 2022 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS), 2022

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Recommended citation: Karissa Jelonek, Paul Fletcher, Brittany Duncan, Carrick Detweiler, "Examining Distance in UAV Gesture Perception." In the proceedings of 2022 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS), 2022.

Let's Run an Online Proxemics Study! But, how do results compare to in-person?

Published in Springer Lecture Notes in Computer Science: International Conference on Social Robotics, 2022

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Recommended citation: Siya Kunde, Nathan Simms, Gerson Uriarte, Brittany Duncan, "Let's Run an Online Proxemics Study! But, how do results compare to in-person?." Springer Lecture Notes in Computer Science: International Conference on Social Robotics, 2022.

talks

Human-Robot Interaction for the Wild

Published:

This talk will discuss the role of human-robot interaction for small and personal unmanned aerial vehicles in public spaces. Prior personal space studies involving humans and robots have found social similarities to the ways in which humans interact with one another, but these findings have been limited to ground-based vehicles. In this presentation, it will be argued that those results may not generalize to aerial vehicles, and that human-robot interactions for small flying robots could be quite different. This has significant implications as the personal-drone movement has resulted in an accelerated diffusion of flying robots into human-centric domains such as emergency response, manufacturing and delivery, and health and fitness. Specific research questions that will be addressed include: 1) What are the appropriate parameters for three-dimensional interaction models for co-located humans and robots? 2) What operational factors are important to consider and report when conducting field-based robotics experiments to better inform future human-robot interaction? 3) What role does improved human-robot interaction play in aiding individual and team decision-making among humans? This discussion will be of interest to researchers and practitioners in the robotics community, as well as those in the fields of civil and environmental engineering, human-computer interaction, artificial intelligence, and the social sciences.

Human-Robot Interaction for High Performing Teams in Field Applications

Published:

This talk will discuss the role of human-robot interaction in field-based robot deployments and be focused on three individual research areas: integration of robots into high performing teams, improved teleoperation, and necessary autonomy for improved team performance. Specific research questions that will be addressed include: 1) What role does the use of aerial vehicles play in shared decision making with high performing and potentially distributed teams? 2) How can interfaces and interactions amplify the current reach of the end users? and 3) What adaptations are necessary within the autonomy to augment user perceptions in field-based environments? This discussion will be of interest to researchers and practitioners in agriculture and robotics communities, as well as those in the fields of human factors, artificial intelligence, and the social sciences.

Investigating Distancing and Communicative Flight Paths with small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Published:

In order to appropriately interact in public spaces, small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (sUAVs) will need to be able to approach people in safe, comfortable, and legible ways. This talk will focus on the distancing and communicative components of flight paths individually before considering the path forward to combine these investigations. Specific research questions that will be addressed are: 1) What is the appropriate distance for sUAV interaction, and how does this change based on the person, the vehicle, and the environment?, 2) How do naïve users interpret flight path changes and what similarities do they display when they create their own flight paths?, and 3) How can vehicle, environment, and robot application impact both the size and legibility of the flight paths? This discussion will be of interest to researchers and practitioners in field robotics and sUAV communities, as well as those in the fields of human factors, artificial intelligence, and the social sciences.

Teaching, Learning, Flying, and Interacting: computing as a pathway to your goals

Published:

Dr. Brittany Duncan, Associate Professor in the School of Computing and co-Director of the NIMBUS lab at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, will present on her path to academia, how her interests drove her research, and why you should consider computing careers in the future. Her research interests focus on how to enable flying robots to better interact with people in a variety of situations, ways in which flying robots can be improved to better interact with the world, and improving student success in computing degree programs. Dr. Duncan will discuss how serendipitous interactions and opportunities allow her to develop flying robots to help people accomplish their jobs in better, safer ways so that scientists can better monitor the environment.

teaching

Human-Robot Interaction, Fall 2015

Undergraduate and Graduate course, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, 2015

In this 3-credit seminar-style class which was piloted as a 496/896, students are guided through an overview of human-robot interaction as a field, explore a topic of their choosing both individually and as a class, and have guest lectures from practitioners. The goal of this course is for students to not only gain an understanding of the current state of HRI as a field, but also to learn research methods to aid them in their future careers. Students are expected to present papers in both 30 minute and 10 minute formats, write critiques for each class meeting, complete a literature review on a topic of their choosing, and prepare a short NSF-style proposal based on a problem identified and refined through their literature review.

Human-Computer Interaction, Spring 2016

Undergraduate Class, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, 2016

This course was based on an existing department course and is a 3-credit lecture-based course with the primary assessments being in-class assignments, short individual presentations, and a semester-long group project. The group project is based on an idea formed by the groups themselves where each group is required to create an interface to solve a problem they identified (ranging from a replacement for the current clicker system to an app that helps keep track of your pet’s needs). Students learn the basics of human-computer interaction, including topics such as: input devices, web-based design, design principles and methodologies, and evaluation techniques. The group project has seven deliverables, leading to an assignment due roughly every two weeks and the assignments generally follow the lectures and smaller hands-on activities conducted in class. In class activities are designed to both elicit questions and demonstrate understanding prior to working with users. This course teaches the students how to identify a problem, elicit user constraints, prototype a solution to gain feedback, perform testing with the solution, and present the results.

Human-Robot Interaction, Fall 2016

Undergraduate and Graduate course, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, 2016

In this 3-credit seminar-style class which was piloted as a 496/896, students are guided through an overview of human-robot interaction as a field, explore a topic of their choosing both individually and as a class, and have guest lectures from practitioners. The goal of this course is for students to not only gain an understanding of the current state of HRI as a field, but also to learn research methods to aid them in their future careers. Students are expected to present papers in both 30 minute and 10 minute formats, write critiques for each class meeting, complete a literature review on a topic of their choosing, and prepare a short NSF-style proposal based on a problem identified and refined through their literature review.

Human-Computer Interaction, Spring 2017

Undergraduate Class, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, 2017

This course is a 3-credit lecture-based course with the primary assessments being in-class assignments, short individual presentations, and a semester-long group project. The group project is based on an idea formed by the groups themselves where each group is required to create an interface to solve a problem they identified (ranging from a replacement for the current clicker system to an app that helps keep track of your pet’s needs). Students learn the basics of human-computer interaction, including topics such as: input devices, web-based design, design principles and methodologies, and evaluation techniques. The group project has seven deliverables, leading to an assignment due roughly every two weeks and the assignments generally follow the lectures and smaller hands-on activities conducted in class. In class activities are designed to both elicit questions and demonstrate understanding prior to working with users. This course teaches the students how to identify a problem, elicit user constraints, prototype a solution to gain feedback, perform testing with the solution, and present the results.

Human-Robot Interaction, Fall 2017

Undergraduate and Graduate course, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, 2017

In this 3-credit seminar-style class which was piloted as a 496/896, students are guided through an overview of human-robot interaction as a field, explore a topic of their choosing both individually and as a class, and have guest lectures from practitioners. The goal of this course is for students to not only gain an understanding of the current state of HRI as a field, but also to learn research methods to aid them in their future careers. Students are expected to present papers in both 30 minute and 10 minute formats, write critiques for each class meeting, complete a literature review on a topic of their choosing, and prepare a short NSF-style proposal based on a problem identified and refined through their literature review.

Human-Computer Interaction, Spring 2018

Undergraduate Class, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, 2018

This course is a 3-credit lecture-based course with the primary assessments being in-class assignments, short individual presentations, and a semester-long group project. The group project is based on an idea formed by the groups themselves where each group is required to create an interface to solve a problem they identified (ranging from a replacement for the current clicker system to an app that helps keep track of your pet’s needs). Students learn the basics of human-computer interaction, including topics such as: input devices, web-based design, design principles and methodologies, and evaluation techniques. The group project has seven deliverables, leading to an assignment due roughly every two weeks and the assignments generally follow the lectures and smaller hands-on activities conducted in class. In class activities are designed to both elicit questions and demonstrate understanding prior to working with users. This course teaches the students how to identify a problem, elicit user constraints, prototype a solution to gain feedback, perform testing with the solution, and present the results.

Human-Computer Interaction

Undergraduate Class, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, 2018

This course is a 3-credit lecture-based course with the primary assessments being in-class assignments, short individual presentations, and a semester-long group project. The group project is based on an idea formed by the groups themselves where each group is required to create an interface to solve a problem they identified (ranging from a replacement for the current clicker system to an app that helps keep track of your pet’s needs). Students learn the basics of human-computer interaction, including topics such as: input devices, web-based design, design principles and methodologies, and evaluation techniques. The group project has seven deliverables, leading to an assignment due roughly every two weeks and the assignments generally follow the lectures and smaller hands-on activities conducted in class. In class activities are designed to both elicit questions and demonstrate understanding prior to working with users. This course teaches the students how to identify a problem, elicit user constraints, prototype a solution to gain feedback, perform testing with the solution, and present the results.

Human-Computer Interaction, Fall 2019

Undergraduate Class, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, 2019

This course is a 3-credit lecture-based course with the primary assessments being in-class assignments, short individual presentations, and a semester-long group project. The group project is based on an idea formed by the groups themselves where each group is required to create an interface to solve a problem they identified (ranging from a replacement for the current clicker system to an app that helps keep track of your pet’s needs). Students learn the basics of human-computer interaction, including topics such as: input devices, web-based design, design principles and methodologies, and evaluation techniques. The group project has seven deliverables, leading to an assignment due roughly every two weeks and the assignments generally follow the lectures and smaller hands-on activities conducted in class. In class activities are designed to both elicit questions and demonstrate understanding prior to working with users. This course teaches the students how to identify a problem, elicit user constraints, prototype a solution to gain feedback, perform testing with the solution, and present the results.

Human-Robot Interaction, Spring 2020

Undergraduate and Graduate course, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, 2020

In this 3-credit seminar-style class which was assigned the permanent course number of 454/854, students are guided through an overview of human-robot interaction as a field, explore a topic of their choosing both individually and as a class, and have guest lectures from practitioners. The goal of this course is for students to not only gain an understanding of the current state of HRI as a field, but also to learn research methods to aid them in their future careers. Students are expected to present papers in both 30 minute and 10 minute formats, write critiques for each class meeting, complete a literature review on a topic of their choosing, and prepare a short NSF-style proposal based on a problem identified and refined through their literature review. As a result of my NSF CAREER award, a project-based option was introduced to allow students to either work on a proposal or demonstrate their skills by conducting a small user study or data analysis.

Human-Computer Interaction, Fall 2020

Undergraduate Class, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, 2020

This course is a 3-credit lecture-based course with the primary assessments being in-class assignments, short individual presentations, and a semester-long group project. The group project is based on an idea formed by the groups themselves where each group is required to create an interface to solve a problem they identified (ranging from a replacement for the current clicker system to an app that helps keep track of your pet’s needs). Students learn the basics of human-computer interaction, including topics such as: input devices, web-based design, design principles and methodologies, and evaluation techniques. The group project has seven deliverables, leading to an assignment due roughly every two weeks and the assignments generally follow the lectures and smaller hands-on activities conducted in class. In class activities are designed to both elicit questions and demonstrate understanding prior to working with users. This course teaches the students how to identify a problem, elicit user constraints, prototype a solution to gain feedback, perform testing with the solution, and present the results.

Human-Robot Interaction, Spring 2021

Undergraduate and Graduate course, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, 2021

In this 3-credit seminar-style class which was assigned the permanent course number of 454/854, students are guided through an overview of human-robot interaction as a field, explore a topic of their choosing both individually and as a class, and have guest lectures from practitioners. The goal of this course is for students to not only gain an understanding of the current state of HRI as a field, but also to learn research methods to aid them in their future careers. Students are expected to present papers in both 30 minute and 10 minute formats, write critiques for each class meeting, complete a literature review on a topic of their choosing, and prepare a short NSF-style proposal based on a problem identified and refined through their literature review. As a result of my NSF CAREER award, a project-based option was introduced to allow students to either work on a proposal or demonstrate their skills by conducting a small user study or data analysis.

Human-Computer Interaction, Fall 2021

Undergraduate Class, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, School of Computing, 2021

This course is a 3-credit lecture-based course with the primary assessments being in-class assignments, short individual presentations, and a semester-long group project. The group project is based on an idea formed by the groups themselves where each group is required to create an interface to solve a problem they identified (ranging from a replacement for the current clicker system to an app that helps keep track of your pet’s needs). Students learn the basics of human-computer interaction, including topics such as: input devices, web-based design, design principles and methodologies, and evaluation techniques. The group project has seven deliverables, leading to an assignment due roughly every two weeks and the assignments generally follow the lectures and smaller hands-on activities conducted in class. In class activities are designed to both elicit questions and demonstrate understanding prior to working with users. This course teaches the students how to identify a problem, elicit user constraints, prototype a solution to gain feedback, perform testing with the solution, and present the results.