Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Joanne Orlando is a prominent researcher specializing in social robotics, human-robot interaction, and educational technology, with a particular focus on how adaptive robotic systems can meaningfully engage children over extended periods. Her work sits at the intersection of affective computing, child-robot interaction (cHRI), and learning science, addressing one of the field's most persistent challenges: sustaining children's engagement during long-term interactions with robots. Orlando's most influential contribution is her systematic exploration of adaptivity in human-robot interaction, a 2017 review that has garnered 132 citations and helped establish foundational consensus on designing robots that respond dynamically to user emotions, personality, and interaction history. Building on this theoretical groundwork, her empirical studies demonstrate that robots equipped with emotion recognition and memory models can meaningfully sustain children's social engagement and even promote vocabulary learning — findings supported by 107 and 79 citations respectively across key publications. Her longitudinal school-based studies, utilizing the NAO robot platform, offer rare real-world evidence of adaptive robotics in classroom settings. By capturing children's own perspectives on robot behavior, Orlando ensures her research remains grounded in authentic user experience. Her cumulative body of work has positioned her as an important voice in shaping how intelligent, emotionally responsive robots can serve as effective educational companions.