Papers
1
Total Citations
6
H-Index
1
About
Sylvie Vitel is a pioneering researcher in human-robot interaction, with a focused expertise in assistive robotics for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Her most-cited work, a 2021 longitudinal study, investigates the use of a hybrid robotics system—specifically the Cozmo robot—to foster social interaction inside real classroom settings. Over a 20-week period, Vitel and her team empirically tracked the behavioral and gestural evolution of nine children with ASD, demonstrating how sustained, naturalistic robot-assisted interventions can encourage social engagement. This study, with 6 citations, is notable for its rigorous ecological validity, moving beyond lab-based experiments to examine real-world classroom dynamics. Vitel’s major contribution lies in bridging robotics engineering with developmental psychology, providing evidence that affordable, off-the-shelf robots can be effective tools for social skill development. Her work has significant implications for inclusive education and therapeutic practice, highlighting the potential of hybrid systems to support neurodiverse learners. By focusing on longitudinal, in-situ research, Vitel has set a new standard for evaluating assistive technologies, making her a key voice in the growing field of socially assistive robotics.
Research Focus
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Top Papers
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