Rafaela Efstratiou
Papers
1
Total Citations
15
H-Index
1
About
Rafaela Efstratiou is a researcher at the intersection of assistive robotics and developmental psychology, specializing in social robot interventions for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Her most-cited work, "Teaching Daily Life Skills in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Interventions Using the Social Robot Pepper" (2021, 15 citations), demonstrates her pioneering approach to leveraging humanoid robots—specifically the Pepper robot—to teach essential daily living skills to children and adults with ASD. By integrating structured, robot-mediated activities with evidence-based behavioral strategies, Efstratiou has shown how socially assistive robots can enhance engagement, reduce anxiety, and improve skill acquisition in real-world educational and therapeutic settings. Her research bridges robotics engineering and clinical practice, offering scalable, personalized tools that complement traditional interventions. Beyond this flagship study, Efstratiou’s work contributes to the broader discourse on human-robot interaction, emphasizing ethical design and user-centered outcomes. Her findings have informed pilot programs in special education classrooms and therapy centers, positioning her as a rising voice in inclusive technology. With a growing citation footprint, she continues to explore how robots can foster independence and social inclusion for neurodiverse populations.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1