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About

Laura Fiorini is a prominent researcher specializing in social robotics, human-robot interaction, and assistive technologies for aging populations. Her work sits at a compelling intersection of robotics, artificial intelligence, and healthcare, addressing one of society's most pressing challenges: supporting the independence and well-being of older adults. Fiorini has made significant contributions to the field through her influential reviews and surveys, including her widely cited work on emotion modelling for social robots (135 citations) and behavioral models for social robots (100 citations), which have become important reference points for researchers in human-robot interaction. Her pioneering research on cloud robotics architectures for assistive applications demonstrates her ability to bridge theoretical frameworks with real-world healthcare solutions. A defining theme of her research is understanding and responding to genuine user needs. Through rigorous needs assessments involving older people and caregivers, she has shaped more user-centered approaches to assistive robotics design. Her investigations into emotion recognition through physiological parameters and two-person activity recognition further reflect her commitment to building robots that are truly responsive to human experience. With field trials examining telepresence robots in home settings, Fiorini's work continues to demonstrate measurable real-world impact, making her a leading voice in the future of socially intelligent, assistive robotics.