Francisco A. Rodrigues

INESC TEC, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Francisco A. Rodrigues is a leading researcher at the intersection of robotics and human-centered rehabilitation. His work focuses on two critical areas: autonomous navigation for industrial applications and assistive robotics for cognitive recovery. In his 2019 study on autonomous robot navigation for automotive assembly, Rodrigues demonstrated how mobile robots can safely and efficiently navigate complex factory floors, achieving 13 citations for its practical industry use-case. More notably, his pioneering 2019 paper on using assistive robotics for aphasia rehabilitation (11 citations) broke new ground by extending robotic therapy beyond motor recovery to address language deficits in stroke survivors. By deploying a humanoid robot as a mediator in memory games, Rodrigues showed that robotic assistance can stimulate language recovery in patients with aphasia—a cognitive condition often overlooked in rehabilitation robotics. His work bridges industrial automation and compassionate care, proving that robots can serve both productivity and human well-being. With growing recognition for his interdisciplinary approach, Rodrigues continues to shape how robots interact with people in factories and clinics alike.