Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Paola Salomoni is a leading researcher at the intersection of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and robotics, with a particular focus on how humans naturally and intuitively engage with autonomous systems. Her work is defined by a deep commitment to understanding user experience, from the novel challenges of piloting drones to the educational potential of mobile games for children. A key contribution is her foundational research on Human-Drone Interaction (2019, 40 citations), which established a critical framework for evaluating user experience with unmanned aerial vehicles. She has also pioneered the use of serious games for child development, as seen in her work on "MecWilly in your pocket" (2016), which leverages socio-cognitive conflict to teach orientation and recycling. More recently, Salomoni has been at the forefront of integrating Large Language Models (LLMs) into Human-Robot Interaction, exploring both their performance and limitations in enabling natural, zero-shot communication with robots (2025). Her forward-looking research is shaping how we design more accessible and capable robotic systems for everyday use.