Joost de Winter

Prof. dr. ir. Joost de WinterCognitive Robotics Department
Faculty of Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering
Delft University of Technology
Mekelweg 2, 2628 CD Delft, the Netherlands
E-mail: j.c.f.dewinter@tudelft.nl

Educational Background

2009, PhD (cum laude), Faculty of Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering
Delft University of Technology
2004, MSc, AeroSpace Engineering
Delft University of Technology

Research Field: ‘Cognitive Human-Robot Interaction’

My work asks a simple question with far‑reaching consequences: how can people and machines think and act as if they share one mind? In my 2024 inaugural lecture I called this ambition single‑mindedness: designing machines that form a theory of their user, explain themselves clearly, and adapt their behaviour, while interfaces make machine intentions legible and easy to overrule.

I began in automated driving: using simulators, test‑track studies, and naturalistic data to understand supervision, transfers of control and the well‑known "out‑of‑the‑loop" problem. Today the same ideas power a broader agenda across robotics, aviation, medical technology, and conversational AI. We develop touchless interaction via gaze, voice and gesture; fuse physiology and performance to estimate workload and attention; and build adaptive automation that times assistance and handovers to human state and context.

Recent developments bring large language models into the equation. We use LLMs to translate complex sensor data into concise and honest explanations; to support mixed‑initiative planning and after‑action rationales; and to evaluate how well AI “sees” risk in real‑world scenes. In robotics and chatbots alike, the goal is the same: cooperative autonomy that is safe, predictable and privacy‑conscious, with formal guardrails so language outputs cannot trigger unsafe actions.

My group aims to deliver intelligent systems that people can supervise without touching a screen or wheel, systems that are helpful when you want them to act, deferential when you prefer to decide, and always transparent about what they know and do not know.

Detection of eye contact between a pedestrian and a driver using two eye-trackers (PhD thesis Vishal Onkhar)

PhD Students Supervised

PhD degree obtained: Stefan de Groot, Mehdi Saffarian, Bastiaan Petermeijer, Daniel Heikoop, Ewout Arkenbout, Pavlo Bazilinskyy, Yke Bauke Eisma, Peter van Leeuwen, Christopher Cabrall, Zhenji Lu, Natalia Kovácsová, Sina Nordhoff, Sarvesh Kolekar, Timo Melman, Wilbert Tabone, Siri Hegna Berge, Vishal Onkhar

Ongoing: Bianca Sutcliffe, Jenna Pfeifer, Tom Driessen, Angèle Picco, Salvo Cucinella, Renchi Zhang, Koen Wösten, David Stefan

Projects

Disconnected: Assessing the Effects of Technology on Youth Loneliness (NWA Loneliness Call). https://www.nwo.nl/en/news/five-projects-awarded-in-nwa-loneliness-call
Towards Safe Mobility for All: A Data-Driven Approach (NWO 'Transitions in Behavior'). https://www.tudelft.nl/2020/3me/februari/veilig-verkeer-door-data-driven-onderzoek/
Shape-IT. Supporting the Interaction of Humans and Automated Vehicles: Preparing for the Environment of Tomorrow. https://www.shape-it.eu
A replication study of ‘pupil size as related to interest value of visual stimuli’ (NWO Replication grant). https://www.nwo.nl/en/projects/40116083
How should automated vehicles communicate with other road users? (NWO VIDI, 2018–2024).
Motorist: MOTOrcycle Rider Integrated SafeTy (Marie Curie ITN, 2013–2017).
HFauto: Human Factors of Automated Driving (Marie Curie ITN, 2013–2017). https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/605817
Our work on automated driving won the 2014 Human Factors Prize.
Preventing young driver car crashes through driving simulators (NWO VENI, 2010–2012).
DriveObs: Driver Observation in Car Simulators (2010–2014).

Publications / Output

Google Scholar: http://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=MJ3SNBAAAAAJ&view_op=list_works&pagesize=100
Datasets: https://data.4tu.nl/authors/0f7c7098-0807-40e0-ab07-e8ed9e370678
ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Joost-De-Winter
PURE: J.C.F. de Winter – Research output — TU Delft Research Portal
Overview of submitted and published papers: Publications Joost de Winter

Editorial Board Membership

Accident Analysis & Prevention (https://www.journals.elsevier.com/accident-analysis-and-prevention/editorial-board)
Ergonomics (https://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?show=editorialBoard&journalCode=terg20)
Human Factors (https://journals.sagepub.com/editorial-board/hfs)
Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour (https://www.journals.elsevier.com/transportation-research-part-f-traffic-psychology-and-behaviour/editorial-board)
IEEE Transactions on Human-Machine Systems (2020–2023)

Educational Services

Director of Studies of the MSc Robotics (2021–2023)
MSc coordinator of the MSc Robotics (2020–2023)
MSc coordinator of the Track Vehicle Engineering of the MSc Mechanical Engineering (2018–2020)

Teaching

RO47006 Human-Robot Interaction (2020 onward, course responsible from 2023 onward)
RO47000/RO47010 Student Portfolio (2020–2022)
ME41080 (formerly WB2404) Human-machine systems (lecturer since 2005, course responsible, 2011–2021)
BM41045 (formerly BM1104) Experimental Design, Statistics & the Human (course responsible, 2015–2019)
WBTP303 BSc Research Project (various roles: session chair, jury member, jury chair, methodology lecturer, coordinator, group supervisor, 2009–onward)
WB3190IO Automotive Safety & Human Factors (lecturer, project-based education, 2012–2019)
ME1100 Automotive Crash Safety; Active & Passive Safety Systems (guest lecturer, 2008–2011)
WB2306 The Human Controller (guest lecturer, 2010–2013)
IO3640 Automotive Context (guest lecturer, 2011–2012)
BM1230 Selected Topics in Tissue Biomechanics and Implants (guest lecturer, 2012)

Fun

Contributions to The On-Line Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences (OEIS)

Google Sites

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