Ylva Fernaeus
Papers
10
Total Citations
266
H-Index
7
About
Ylva Fernaeus is a leading voice in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and Human-Robot Interaction (HRI), known for her critical and human-centred approach to designing robotic and interactive technologies. Her research explores how people—especially children and families—engage with robotic toys and autonomous systems in everyday life. In her highly cited study of the robotic dinosaur Pleo (162 citations), she revealed a striking discrepancy between how families actually played with the toy and the designers’ intended use, highlighting the importance of real-world, long-term studies. Fernaeus has also pushed the field to reflect on its own practices, coining the provocative concept of a “robot cargo cult” to critique imitative research rituals that lack deep understanding of underlying phenomena. Her work on embodied interaction, tangible programming languages inspired by comics and fashion, and ethical memory models for artificial companions further demonstrates her commitment to designing technology that respects human experience and values. Through her GlowBots project and explorations of robotic “accessorising,” she has championed playful, aesthetic, and critically aware approaches to HRI, making her a distinctive and influential figure in shaping how we think about, design, and live with robots.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1How do you play with a robotic toy animal?162 citations · 2010
- 2Are we living in a robot cargo cult?26 citations · 2009
- 3Comics, robots, fashion and programming16 citations · 2009
- 4Where third wave HCI meets HRI14 citations · 2009
- 5GlowBots: designing and implementing engaging human-robot interaction14 citations · 2008
- 6
- 7The look, the feel and the action7 citations · 2010
- 8Children and embodied interaction7 citations · 2009
- 9Crafting against robotic fakelore5 citations · 2013
- 10