Maitree Leekha
Papers
1
Total Citations
10
H-Index
1
About
Dr. Maitree Leekha is a pioneering researcher at the intersection of child-robot interaction, social signal processing, and educational technology. Her work focuses on designing socially intelligent robots that can serve as effective peer learning companions for young children. In her highly cited 2020 paper, "Towards Social & Engaging Peer Learning: Predicting Backchanneling and Disengagement in Children," Dr. Leekha addressed a critical challenge in human-robot interaction: children only trust and learn from robots that behave naturally and interpersonally. She developed computational models to predict children's backchanneling cues and disengagement signals, enabling robots to respond more dynamically and maintain engagement during language development activities. With 10 citations, this work has influenced subsequent research on adaptive social robots for early childhood education. Dr. Leekha's contributions bridge affective computing and developmental psychology, advancing our understanding of how autonomous systems can foster social and cognitive growth in young learners. Her research has significant implications for designing interactive technologies that support peer learning and language acquisition in natural, engaging ways.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1