Papers
55
Total Citations
1,184
H-Index
16
About
Serge Thill’s research sits at the intersection of robotics, cognitive science, and healthcare, with a focus on socially assistive robots for vulnerable populations. He is best known for pioneering work in robot-enhanced therapy (RET) for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), where he developed supervised autonomous systems that move beyond simple remote-controlled “Wizard of Oz” setups. His 2012 and 2017 papers, each cited over 150 times, laid the groundwork for robots that can adapt to a child’s social cues in real-time, reducing therapist burden while improving engagement. Thill also made significant contributions to companion robotics for older adults, particularly those with dementia. His user-centred design studies (2019, 2021) revealed critical mismatches between roboticists’ assumptions and older users’ preferences, leading to more effective, affordable pet-like robots like Paro. Notably, his 2022 cluster randomized trial demonstrated the feasibility of deploying these robots in care homes during COVID-19. With over 800 total citations, Thill’s work is not only highly cited but also ethically grounded—his 2020 survey on ethical perceptions of companion robots highlights his commitment to responsible innovation. His DREAM dataset (2020), comprising over 300 hours of therapy sessions, remains a vital resource for data-driven ASD research.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10