Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Foebe Pettinelli is a rising force in the field of rehabilitation robotics, with a focused expertise in developing and validating robotic systems for orthopedic and post-traumatic recovery. Her research centers on the critical intersection of mechatronic design and clinical assessment, specifically targeting the upper limb—from the wrist to the hand. Pettinelli’s major contributions include demonstrating the efficacy of robot-aided therapy for orthopedic patients through a randomized controlled trial, a landmark study that has garnered 25 citations and provides crucial evidence for expanding robotic rehabilitation beyond neurological conditions. She has also pioneered novel methods for objectively assessing wrist rigidity and pain in post-traumatic patients, offering a quantitative alternative to subjective clinical scales. Her most recent work involves a pilot study on a powered metacarpal-phalangeal exoskeleton for hand rehabilitation, addressing the challenging problem of joint stiffness after trauma. By bridging the gap between engineering and clinical practice, Pettinelli is helping to establish robotic tools as standard instruments for both therapy and precise functional evaluation in orthopedics.