Ana Paula da Silva Pereira
Papers
7
Total Citations
88
H-Index
6
About
Ana Paula da Silva Pereira is a pioneering researcher at the intersection of social robotics and autism intervention, whose work has fundamentally advanced how technology can support socio-emotional development in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Her research focuses on three key areas: emotion recognition training, human-robot interaction design, and tangible interfaces for special education. Pereira's most significant contribution is demonstrating that humanoid robots can effectively foster emotion recognition and social interaction in high-functioning children with ASD, with her landmark 2019 study on socio-emotional development using robots accumulating 22 citations. Her 2021 paper on fostering emotion recognition, which has garnered 29 citations, provides crucial frameworks for using facial expression training to bridge communication gaps. As the founder of the Robótica-Autismo project—a long-term partnership with APPACDM launched in 2009—Pereira established foundational design constraints for robotic tools in autism therapy, documented in her 2012 and 2013 papers. Her innovative hybrid approach, combining tangible interfaces with robotic systems, has opened new pathways for educational games that promote social interaction. With over 80 total citations across her publications, Pereira's work continues to shape how assistive technologies can transform the lives of children with ASD and their families.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1Fostering Emotion Recognition in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder29 citations · 2021
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- 5Robótica-Autismo project: Technology for autistic children9 citations · 2013
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