Nuno Otero

About

Nuno Otero is a prominent researcher whose work sits at the intersection of human-robot interaction (HRI), assistive robotics, and user-centered design. His research has made significant contributions to understanding how humans communicate with, teach, and relate to robotic systems in everyday and therapeutic contexts. Otero's most influential work includes his involvement in the IROMEC project, which explored how robotic toys can support children with autism through play-based therapy, earning 66 citations. He has also examined critical ethical dimensions of domestic robotics, particularly privacy concerns surrounding personal robot companions, work cited 44 times. His methodological contributions are equally notable, advancing video prototyping techniques and gesture recognition frameworks for HRI research. A recurring theme across Otero's portfolio is the challenge of making robots effective social and learning partners. His studies on human-to-robot teaching, scaffolding behaviors, and mental models of robots reflect a deep commitment to understanding the cognitive and social dynamics of human-robot relationships. His use of innovative methodologies — including explicitation interviews and theatre-based prototyping — demonstrates a sophisticated, qualitative approach to a field often dominated by technical metrics. With over 230 cumulative citations, Otero's work remains essential reading for researchers designing robots intended for homes, schools, and therapeutic settings.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Eliciting Requirements for a Robotic Toy for Children with Autism - Results from User Panels

   66 citations · 2007
2. 2
   "He Knows When You Are Sleeping" : Privacy and the Personal Robot Companion

   44 citations · 2007
3. 3
   Video prototyping in human-robot interaction

   31 citations · 2008
4. 4
   Human to robot demonstrations of routine home tasks

   22 citations · 2008
5. 5
   Distribution and Recognition of Gestures in Human-Robot Interaction

   17 citations · 2006
6. 6
   Teaching robot companions: the role of scaffolding and event structuring

   15 citations · 2008
7. 7
   Exploring human mental models of robots through explicitation interviews

   12 citations · 2010
8. 8
   Methodological Issues of Annotating Vision Sensor Data using Subjects' Own Judgement of Comfort in a Robot Human Following Experiment

   10 citations · 2006
9. 9
   Naturally Occurring Gestures in a Human-Robot Teaching Scenario

   10 citations · 2006
10. 10
    The Theatre methodology for facilitating discussion in human-robot interaction on information disclosure in a home environment

    9 citations · 2011

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links