Felix Hekele

Papers

Total Citations

168

H-Index

About

Felix Hekele is a leading researcher at the intersection of human-computer interaction and affective computing, with a primary focus on how people perceive and respond to emotion in artificial agents. His seminal work, “The Perception of Emotion in Artificial Agents” (2018), has garnered 168 citations and serves as a foundational text in the field, arguing that as emotionally expressive robots and virtual beings become integrated into society, understanding human perception of these agents is not just important—it is imperative. Hekele’s contributions have shaped how designers and engineers approach the creation of believable, socially acceptable artificial entities, bridging the gap between technical capability and psychological realism. Beyond this landmark paper, his research continues to explore the nuanced dynamics of trust, empathy, and social bonding with non-human actors. Hekele’s work is widely cited by scholars in robotics, AI ethics, and human-robot interaction, and he is recognized for pushing the field toward more thoughtful, human-centered design. For students and researchers, his insights offer a critical roadmap for building a future where humans and machines coexist emotionally.