Hojjat Abdollahi
Papers
6
Total Citations
340
H-Index
5
About
Hojjat Abdollahi is a pioneering researcher at the intersection of artificial emotional intelligence and socially assistive robotics, with a primary focus on improving mental health and quality of life for vulnerable populations. His most impactful work centers on developing empathic, perceptive social robots—most notably the "Ryan" companion robot—designed to engage older adults with depression and dementia. Abdollahi’s landmark 2022 study on artificial emotional intelligence in socially assistive robots has garnered 159 citations, while his earlier 2017 pilot study on Ryan as a companion for elderly individuals with dementia and depression has accumulated 107 citations, underscoring the field’s strong interest in his contributions. He has also explored how embodiment and presence affect human perception of robotic facial cues (55 citations) and pioneered the integration of automated affect perception with spoken dialogue to enhance robot empathy. More recently, Abdollahi has expanded into delivering cognitive behavioral therapy via conversational social robots and applying reinforcement learning to personalize imitation learning for children with autism spectrum disorder. His work consistently bridges cutting-edge AI, human-robot interaction, and clinical application, making him a leading voice in socially assistive robotics for healthcare.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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- 3Role of embodiment and presence in human perception of robots’ facial cues55 citations · 2018
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