Patricia Candelaria

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Patricia Candelaria is a leading researcher at the intersection of human-robot interaction, pediatric healthcare, and artificial intelligence. Her work focuses on designing socially assistive robots (SARs) that can autonomously adapt to alleviate pain and distress in children undergoing medical procedures. Candelaria’s major contributions include the co-design of a social robot for distraction in the paediatric emergency department, a domain where her 2023 paper has already garnered 17 citations for its innovative approach to reducing procedural anxiety. She further explores the nuanced needs of children and caregivers, with a 2023 study earning 14 citations for its insights into designing AI-enhanced robots that respond dynamically to young patients’ emotional states. By prioritizing user-centered design, Candelaria bridges the gap between robotic capability and real-world clinical application, ensuring her robots are not only technologically advanced but also empathetic and effective. Her work has significant implications for transforming emergency care, offering a scalable, non-pharmacological intervention that empowers children and families. Candelaria’s research is a testament to how thoughtful engineering can directly improve patient outcomes, making her a pivotal figure in the future of pediatric healthcare robotics.