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About

Anna Maria Manganelli is a leading researcher at the intersection of human-robot interaction, educational robotics, and the psychology of human-machine communication. Her work critically examines how people perceive, interact with, and emotionally respond to robots and automated systems, from physical robots to voice-based assistants. Manganelli’s most cited paper (27 citations) explores the cognitive and emotional toll of CAPTCHA tests, revealing how these “robot-detection” systems frustrate and alienate human users. She has also made significant contributions to educational robotics, comparing the effectiveness of arts-and-crafts robots versus LEGO® MINDSTORMS in learning environments (19 citations), and investigating how a robot’s morphological human-likeness shapes perceptions of its cognitive and emotional capabilities (18 citations). Her cross-cultural study of Alexa (10 citations) offers pioneering insights into the mass adoption of voice-based assistants as consumer robotic products. Manganelli’s work is notable for its critical, user-centered perspective, challenging assumptions in robotics research—for example, by showing how perceptions of the humanoid robot Sophia are mediated through YouTube videos. Her research is essential reading for anyone interested in how humans truly experience and relate to the robots and algorithms increasingly embedded in daily life.