Rebecca Ramnauth
Yale University · Social Robotics Lab · rebecca.ramnauth@yale.eduExploring embodied computational cognition for decoding human social behavior.
I build theories about how people think [HRI'22],* learn,* and interact [THRI'23] with the world around them. Then, I apply these theories to develop robot-assisted interventions [HRI'22, HRI'21] to better support users of various cognitive and technical abilties.
Such theories include a theoretical framework for discerning socially appropriate robotic assistance, robot-assisted social skills interventions for Autism Spectrum Disorder, long-term mental health support for caregivers of those with dementia, a teleoperated robot platform for mitigating social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic, designing robotic environments for social-emotional regulation for NYC public schools, and building custom social robots for anxiety reduction on university campuses.
Currently, I am a Ph.D. student at Yale University in robotics and a member of the Social Robotics Lab advised by Brian Scassellati. During my six years at Yale, I've co-written the Handbook for Residental Deans, led course sections in AI and Robotics, and have advised over 20 students towards their thesis.
Prior to Yale, I was the Assistant Dean for Research and Curriculum Development at LIU and a lecturer at various universities. Beyond lecture halls and research labs, I am the Director of the MIA Foundation, a non-profit that partners with local businesses and provides annual scholarships to support employment for adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
The NSF-GRFP is a prestigious grant awarded to approximately < 10% of student applicants pursuing research-based graduate degrees.
$46,000 x 3 yrs · Discovering the neural mechanisms of dyadic social interaction using human-robot interaction
Yale SRL article Yale CS article NSF-GRFP Awardee List NSF-GRFP Award InfoThe Ford Fellowship is a competitive grant awarded to < 5% of Ph.D. or Sc.D. students applicants by the National Academics of Science, Engineering, and Medicine.
$27,000 x 3 yrs · Discovering the neural mechanisms of dyadic social interaction using human-robot interaction
FFPF Award InfoA core theme of my research is to design systems that support social and mental well-being in clinically meaningful way. I have developed custom robots to support anxiety reduction in users as young as pre-school-age to seniors with dementia. For instance, Ommie is a robot engineered to guide users through deep-breathing techniques and, through various user studies, have proven to reduce anxiety and promote relaxation. By mimicking the rhythm of deep breaths through mechanical movements, Ommie provides tactile feedback and a calming social presence.
For instructions on building your own Ommie or to read about our journey developing it, visit the Ommie Documentation repository [coming Sept. 2024].
Leveraging our previous successes in the development of socially assistive robots for ASD interventions [1], we developed the Interruption Skill Training and Assessment Robot (ISTAR), an in-home autonomous training system that helps adults with ASD to practice handling workplace-relevant interruptions [2, 3]. ISTAR is rigorously evaluated by surveys of employers and adults with ASD, and a week-long study in the homes of adults with ASD during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is the first in-home robot-assisted intervention for adults with ASD.
One facet of my research focuses on creating robust systems capable of autonomous operation in dynamic, unstructured settings like homes. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted several opportunities in our daily lives for which robots can play a social role [4].
In response, we developed a robot teleoperation system tailored for elementary school-aged children, allowing them to engage in physical play even when physically separated [5]. This approach empowers children to control the actions of robots in their friends' homes and communicate with them. The outcomes of our research, along with user feedback, suggest that robots can offer a fun and safe means for individuals to connect socially during a global pandemic. For more information about this project, visit Robots for Good.