Papers
21
Total Citations
351
H-Index
11
About
Nicola Secciani is a mechatronics and robotics researcher whose work centers on wearable robotic systems, rehabilitation engineering, and intelligent human-machine interfaces. Based at the University of Florence, Secciani has become a prominent figure in the design and control of hand exoskeletons, developing innovative devices for assistive and rehabilitative applications targeting individuals with motor disabilities, including stroke survivors and children with hand impairments. His most influential contributions include the development of SOPHIA, a soft robotic hand orthosis integrating brain-machine interface control, and a series of tailor-made hand exoskeleton platforms that progress from kinematic modeling through to full mechatronic realization. Secciani has pioneered advanced control strategies for these systems, including variable admittance control for virtual reality-based therapy and novel surface electromyography (sEMG) classifiers — such as point-in-polygon methods and CNN-LSTM regressors — to decode finger motion intent with high accuracy. His research extends into lower-limb exoskeletons for industrial workers and autonomous underwater vehicle target recognition using deep learning. With a cumulative citation count exceeding 300 across his most recognized works, Secciani's research bridges fundamental robotics design with real-world clinical and industrial impact, making his portfolio essential reading for anyone entering wearable robotics or human-centered automation.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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- 2SOPHIA: Soft Orthotic Physiotherapy Hand Interactive Aid39 citations · 2017
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- 5A Novel Point-in-Polygon-Based sEMG Classifier for Hand Exoskeleton Systems31 citations · 2020
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