Ricardo S. Matias
University of Coimbra, Institute for Systems Engineering and Computers
Papers
3
Total Citations
9
H-Index
2
About
Ricardo S. Matias investigates the intersection of human-robot interaction, trust, and performance, with a particular focus on how anthropomorphic features—like robotic eyes—influence collaborative work. His most cited work, "The robot eyes don't have it" (2023, 5 citations), challenges assumptions about social robotics by demonstrating that fitting collaborative robots with eyes yields only marginally higher user trust while paradoxically reducing task performance. This counterintuitive finding has important implications for robot design in industrial and service settings. Matias also developed "A VR Application for the Analysis of Human Responses to Collaborative Robots" (2022, 2 citations), creating immersive virtual environments to systematically study human reactions to robotic agents. His research bridges experimental psychology and robotics engineering, offering evidence-based guidance for designing robots that are both trusted and effective. By showing that superficial social cues can backfire, Matias contributes to a more nuanced understanding of human-robot teamwork, urging designers to prioritize functional reliability over cosmetic anthropomorphism.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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