Papers
10
Total Citations
153
H-Index
5
About
Francesca Stival is a robotics and human-machine interaction researcher whose work bridges biomechanics, prosthetics, and intelligent robotic systems. She is best known for her highly cited 2019 study "A Quantitative Taxonomy of Human Hand Grasps" (78 citations), which transformed a previously qualitative field by introducing rigorous, data-driven classifications of hand movements — a contribution with far-reaching implications for robotics, prosthetics, and rehabilitation science. A significant thread of Stival's research centers on electromyography (EMG) and inertial measurement unit (IMU) signals as natural control interfaces for robotic prostheses. Her work on subject-independent EMG modeling and multi-joint regression frameworks has advanced the accessibility and robustness of prosthetic control, even advocating for low-cost hardware solutions. Her contributions to human-robot collaboration are equally notable, particularly her development of wearable interfaces capable of predicting human motion in real time to enable safer, more intuitive industrial robot coordination (26 citations). More recently, Stival has expanded into neurorehabilitation, exploring how smart home technologies and virtual reality environments can support patients with chronic neurological conditions. Spanning industrial automation, assistive technology, and clinical rehabilitation, her body of work reflects a sustained commitment to making robotic systems more responsive to human needs.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1A quantitative taxonomy of human hand grasps78 citations · 2019
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- 5Subject Independent EMG Analysis by Using Low-Cost Hardware5 citations · 2018
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- 7Automated and Flexible Coil Winding Robotic Framework3 citations · 2018
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