Cristina Gena
Papers
40
Total Citations
241
H-Index
8
About
Cristina Gena is a leading researcher in human-robot interaction (HRI), with a focus on designing socially assistive robots that adapt to human needs. Her work spans educational robotics, elderly care, and affective computing, often employing co-design methods with end-users. Gena’s major contributions include the development of Wolly, a social and educational robot co-designed with children (29 citations), and the exploration of how robots like NAO can trigger empathy and mental state attribution in users (14 citations). She has also advanced the use of socially assistive robots for elderly care (27 citations), addressing global aging challenges. Her research on affective sensemaking systems for museums (17 citations) and her work with autistic children (13 citations) highlight her commitment to inclusive, human-centered technology. Gena has organized influential workshops on adapted interaction with social robots (cAESAR) and edited special issues on personalization in HRI, cementing her role as a key figure in making robots more responsive, empathetic, and socially integrated.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1Design and Development of a Social, Educational and Affective Robot29 citations · 2020
- 2Employing Socially Assistive Robots in Elderly Care27 citations · 2022
- 3Co-designing with kids an educational robot22 citations · 2018
- 4
- 5Can empathy affect the attribution of mental states to robots?14 citations · 2023
- 6Autistic Children's Mental Model of an Humanoid Robot13 citations · 2021
- 7Advanced Visual Interfaces for Cultural Heritage9 citations · 2016
- 8Nao_PRM: an interactive and affective simulator of the Nao robot8 citations · 2021
- 9
- 10Workshop on Adapted intEraction with SociAl Robots (cAESAR)7 citations · 2020