Daniela Conti

University of Catania, Sheffield Hallam University

Papers

34

Total Citations

1,059

H-Index

18

About

Daniela Conti is a pioneering researcher at the intersection of social robotics, educational technology, and clinical psychology, whose work has fundamentally advanced our understanding of how robots can support vulnerable populations. With a body of scholarship accumulating over 700 citations, Conti has established herself as a leading voice in socially assistive robotics, particularly in the care and education of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and intellectual disabilities. Her most influential contributions include demonstrating robot-assisted therapy as a viable intervention for children with ASD, exploring how deep learning systems can estimate visual attention during therapeutic sessions, and championing storytelling robots in kindergarten settings. Conti has also broken new ground by using social robots as psychometric evaluation tools for elderly populations — an approach that bridges robotics with psychological assessment in ways previously unexplored. Beyond clinical applications, Conti has consistently examined the human side of technology adoption. Through cross-cultural studies involving Italian and English psychology students and professionals, she has probed how personality, empathy, and cultural background shape acceptance of robotic tools. Her work not only expands what robots can do but thoughtfully interrogates whether practitioners and institutions are ready to embrace them — making her scholarship as socially aware as it is technically innovative.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

18
H-Index
34
Papers
1,059
Total Citations
31
Avg Citations/Paper
🏆 Most Cited Paper
Robots in Education and Care of Children with Developmental Disabilities: A Study on Acceptance by Experienced and Future Professionals
177 citations · 2016
📈 Most Prolific Year: 2020 (8 Papers)
🤝 Key Collaborators: 44
🏛 Institutions: University of Catania, Sheffield Hallam University

Top Papers

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    “Robot, tell me a tale!”
    88 citations · 2020
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Key Collaborators

Contact & Links

Available for collaboration
Content generated · 14 days ago