Paul Dickerson
Papers
10
Total Citations
865
H-Index
9
About
Paul Dickerson is a researcher whose work sits at the intersection of assistive robotics, autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and conversation analysis. He is perhaps best known for his contributions to the Aurora project, a pioneering initiative exploring how robotic systems can foster communication and social interaction skills in children with autism. His 2009 paper on robot-assisted play with a minimally expressive humanoid robot has garnered 297 citations, while his 2004 study on robot-mediated joint attention has accumulated 286 citations, reflecting the significant influence his work has had on the field of human-robot interaction and autism research. Beyond robotics, Dickerson has made meaningful contributions to the linguistic and interactional dimensions of autism, employing conversation analysis (CA) to examine phenomena such as topic perseveration, delayed echolalia, and pragmatic impairment in the talk of children with ASD. This dual focus — combining cutting-edge assistive technology with fine-grained discourse analysis — distinguishes him as a uniquely interdisciplinary scholar. His research not only advances our understanding of how autistic children engage with robotic playmates but also illuminates the subtle communicative competencies these children bring to everyday interaction, challenging deficit-focused perspectives in the field.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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- 2Robot-mediated joint attention in children with autism286 citations · 2004
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- 7Robotic Playmates35 citations · 2002
- 8Where the action is24 citations · 2013
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