Catarina Maya

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About

Catarina Maya is a pioneering researcher at the intersection of robotics, cognitive assessment, and inclusive education, best known for her innovative work in using robot-mediated play to evaluate cognitive skills in children. Her seminal 2013 paper, “Using virtual robot-mediated play activities to assess cognitive skills,” has garnered 40 citations and established a foundational methodology for comparing physical and virtual robotic platforms in developmental assessment. In this landmark study, Maya demonstrated that virtual robots could effectively mirror physical robot interactions, enabling children with and without disabilities to engage in identical play activities designed to measure cognitive performance. This breakthrough opened new avenues for remote, scalable, and accessible cognitive testing. Maya’s contributions have profound implications for early childhood assessment, assistive technology, and human-robot interaction, particularly for children with diverse abilities. Her work bridges robotics, psychology, and special education, offering a compassionate, technology-driven approach to understanding how children think and learn. By proving that virtual robotic play can reliably assess cognitive skills, Maya has paved the way for more inclusive, flexible, and engaging diagnostic tools.