Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Charles E. Hughes is a leading researcher at the intersection of artificial intelligence, affective computing, and assistive technologies for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). His work centers on developing multimodal systems that recognize and respond to children’s emotional states, with a particular focus on real-world, “in-the-wild” settings. Hughes’s most impactful contribution is the **EmoReact dataset** (117 citations), a pioneering multimodal resource for automatic emotion recognition in children, which has become a foundational tool for affect-sensitive human-computer interaction and social robotics. He also leads the **RAISE project** (42 citations), an innovative virtual learning environment that integrates robotics and AI to simultaneously improve STEM knowledge and social-emotional skills in elementary students with ASD. His **AMITIES framework** (42 citations) introduces a unified system for individualized avatar-based interactions, enabling remote presence and social connection. More recently, Hughes has explored unobtrusive physiological sensing, using heart rate data to analyze affect in children with ASD in naturalistic settings. His work on social presence behavioral coding further advances the design of immersive tools for education and therapy. With a career dedicated to making technology more inclusive and responsive, Hughes’s research directly impacts how AI can support neurodiverse learners.