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ARCS Lab · AI & Robotics for Collaborative Systems · Knoxville, TN

Humans and AI, engineered to think as one team.

We advance the science of human-AI teaming through rigorous, human-centered research — designing trustworthy AI teammates for defense, advanced manufacturing, healthcare, and emergency response.

Explore the Research Publications

35.9544° N / 83.9295° WTerrain · Great Smoky Mountains to the Cumberland Plateau · USGS 3DEP

The lab in numbers

Mission

“Advancing human-AI teaming by understanding and optimizing collaborative systems comprising both human and computational elements — to enhance performance and safety across manufacturing, healthcare, defense, and beyond.”

01 · Research Program

Six pillars of human-AI teaming research

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Our interdisciplinary program integrates quantitative, qualitative, and computational methods to understand and improve human-AI collaborative systems.

01

Intelligent Information Sharing

Modeling information-sharing, team cognition, and workload to create synergistic human–machine partnerships across complex, high-stakes environments.

Learn more 02

Trustworthy AI

Designing transparent AI behaviors that accurately calibrate trust, support responsible AI adoption, and contribute to meaningful AI acceptance.

Learn more 03

Training

Improving skill transference from training to operations through intelligent interventions, human-centered design, and psychological fidelity.

Learn more 04

Situational Awareness

Developing real-time adaptive interfaces that surface mission-critical cues and promote collective understanding in electronically contested environments.

Learn more 05

Applied Robotics

Integrating collaborative robots and unmanned ground vehicles into advanced manufacturing workflows and high-stakes emergency response scenarios.

Learn more 06

Evaluation & Validation

Developing rigorous experimental frameworks to test AI teammates' effectiveness, safety, and resilience through mixed-methods empirical research.

Learn more

02 · Latest Work

Recent publications

Published across leading venues of the HFES, ACM, and IEEE communities — Human Factors, PACM HCI, IEEE Transactions on Human-Machine Systems, and more.

  1. 2026
    Bridging Human–AI Interaction and Human–Robot Interaction: Shared Challenges, Converging Futures

    Olatunji, S., Schelble, B.G. (ARCS Lab member), Tian, Y. (ARCS Lab member), Cole, B., Lyons, J., Rogers, W., Yang, J., & Robert, L. · Proc. Human Factors & Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting

    In Press
  2. 2026
    CATEMS: A Lifecycle Model of Compromised AI Teammate Attacks, Effects, and Mitigation Strategies for Enhanced Resilience

    Mendoza, S. (ARCS Lab member), Tian, Y. (ARCS Lab member), Schelble, B.G. (ARCS Lab member), Hauptman, A., & Robert, L. · Proc. Human Factors & Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting

    Free PDF
  3. 2026
    From Breakdown to Renewal: Trust Repair Across Contexts

    Benda, A., Kim, P., Mayer, R., Sharma, K., Schelble, B.G. (ARCS Lab member), & Kramer, W. · Academy of Management Proceedings, 2026(1). Briarcliff Manor, NY: Academy of Management

  4. 2026
    A Mixed Methods Approach to Analyzing the Role of AI Teammates in Transition Phases

    Schelble, B.G. (ARCS Lab member), Mallick, R., & McNeese, N. · Proc. ACM on Human-Computer Interaction, 10(1), 1–26

    Free PDF
  5. 2026
    Human or AI Advice? Examining Trust, Influence, and Responsibility in Ethically-Charged Human-AI Team Decision-Making

    Schelble, B.G. (ARCS Lab member), Flathmann, C., Aly, H., Lyons, J., & McNeese, N. · Journal of Cognitive Engineering and Decision Making, 1–35

    Free PDF
  6. 2026
    Toward a Science of Human–AI Teaming for Decision-Making: A Complementarity Framework

    Gonzalez, C., Donahue, K., Goldstein, D., Heidari, H., Jalali, M., Schelble, B.G. (ARCS Lab member), Singh, A., & Woolley, A.W. · PNAS Nexus, 1–30

    Free PDF
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News & talks

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03 · The Team

The people behind the partnership

Meet the full team

A growing community of researchers advancing the science of human-AI collaboration at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Yayun Tian

Yayun Tian

PhD Student, Industrial & Systems Engineering

Join the ARCS Lab

Now recruiting

For a Spring, Summer, or Fall 2027 start. See PhD, DEng and undergraduate roles and how to apply.

How to join

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04 · Get in Touch

Let's build the next generation of teams.

Interested in collaboration, graduate study, or partnership? We'd love to hear from you.

Contact the Lab Prospective Students