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About

Clara Pozzi is a pioneering researcher in the field of social human-robot interaction (HRI), with a particular focus on child-robot interaction and the application of robotic systems in healthcare and therapeutic contexts. Her work has made significant contributions to understanding how social robots can support vulnerable young users, most notably children managing chronic conditions such as diabetes. Pozzi's most influential research, including "Child-robot interaction in the wild" (2011, 103 citations) and "Towards Long-Term Social Child-Robot Interaction" (2015, 101 citations), established foundational best practices for designing and deploying robots in real-world paediatric settings. These studies demonstrated that children are receptive to sustained robotic companionship and provided critical insights into maintaining long-term engagement through adaptive, multi-activity systems. A defining thread of her career is the development of robotic companions for diabetic children, exploring how robots can motivate self-management, foster disclosure, and build meaningful relational bonds with young users. Her co-design work on the PAL robot further reflects her commitment to user-centered, collaborative approaches. With a body of work accumulating over 350 citations, Pozzi's research sits at a compelling intersection of embodied AI, child psychology, and healthcare technology, offering tangible pathways toward compassionate, effective robotic support for children in clinical environments.