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About

Emanuela Marchetti is a researcher whose work sits at the intersection of human-robot interaction (HRI), assistive technology, and computational education. Her scholarship is particularly focused on the design and deployment of social and service robots in eldercare settings, where she investigates how older adults — including those living with dementia — perceive and engage with robotic technologies in their daily environments. Marchetti's most recognized contributions center on the SMOOTH Robot project, a modular, cost-effective welfare robot designed for care homes, and a series of studies exploring how zoomorphic robot design shapes social perception. Her research on floor-washing robots interpreted as pet-like companions (18 citations) reveals how functional machines can acquire meaningful social roles when they share physical space with people — a finding with significant implications for inclusive robot design. Her broader body of work examines distributed agency in robot systems and the role of aesthetic cues, such as "cuteness," in user acceptance. Beyond eldercare, Marchetti contributes to computational thinking education, introducing soft robotics and embodied learning experiences to children. Accumulating over 50 citations across her recent publications, her research bridges participatory design, HRI theory, and real-world welfare applications, making her a distinctive voice in human-centered robotics.